马马虎虎
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 — 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.
More Chinese idioms
- 亡羊补牢 — It's not too late to act after a setback to prevent further loss.
- 杯弓蛇影 — To frighten yourself with imaginary fears.
- 胸有成竹 — To have a well-formed plan ready before you begin.
- 井底之蛙 — Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
- 守株待兔 — Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
- 塞翁失马 — A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.
Loading the full interactive collection…