马马虎虎
mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔDone in a careless or half‑hearted way; mediocre; not thorough.
他的作业写得马马虎虎，老师批了很多红字。
His homework was done so‑so, and the teacher marked many errors.
Often used to describe work, performance, or quality that is merely acceptable but not diligent.
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Remember the tone
When you say something is ‘马马虎虎’, you imply a mild criticism—use it with friends but not in serious evaluations.
⚡Gold Rule
Do not overuse
Reserve ‘马马虎虎’ for light‑hearted feedback; for formal assessments choose more precise adjectives.
📖Word Origin
Originally a reduplication of the characters for “horse” (马) and “tiger” (虎), suggesting a half‑hearted effort as if a horse and a tiger were only half‑present. The phrase entered common usage during the Ming‑Qing period to describe sloppy work.
📝Usage Notes
Common in spoken Chinese and informal writing. Avoid using in formal reports or academic papers where precise evaluation is required.