马马虎虎 (Mǎmǎhūhū)

Meaning: So-so; careless and only just passable.

Language: Chinese

Literally: Horse horse, tiger tiger

Category: Animals

Origin: Folk tale of a sloppy painter whose half-horse, half-tiger picture led his sons to fatal mix-ups — carelessness immortalized.

More idioms — Animals

拍马屁 (pāi mǎpì) — To flatter or suck up to someone.
At have rotter på loftet — To be a little crazy.
Päästä kuin koira veräjästä — To escape consequences entirely; to get off scot-free.
Dělat z komára velblouda — To blow something tiny wildly out of proportion.
Egyik kutya, másik eb — Two things are exactly the same; six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű — The pot calling the kettle black.

亡羊补牢 (Wáng yáng bǔ láo) — It's not too late to act after a setback to prevent further loss.
杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng) — To frighten yourself with imaginary fears.
胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú) — To have a well-formed plan ready before you begin.
井底之蛙 (Jǐng dǐ zhī wā) — Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) — Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
塞翁失马 (Sài Wēng shī mǎ) — A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.

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