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敷衍

fū yǎn
HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Verb Uncommon

Definitions

  1. 1. to elaborate (on a theme)
  2. 2. to expound (the classics)
  3. 3. perfunctory
  4. 4. to skimp
  5. 5. to botch
  6. 6. to do sth half-heartedly or just for show
  7. 7. barely enough to get by

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item
认真
rèn zhēn

conscientious

敷衍 means to do something perfunctorily, while 认真 means to do something seriously and carefully.

Related words

1 item
草率
cǎo shuài

careless

草率 implies rashness and lack of care, similar to the sloppy aspect of 敷衍.

Synonyms

2 items
应付
yìng fu

to deal with

Both can mean to deal with something perfunctorily or just enough to get by.
马虎
mǎ hu

careless

Both imply doing something carelessly or without thoroughness.

Usage notes

Common mistakes

敷衍 is often used with objects like 事儿 or 了事, as in 敷衍了事 (to do something perfunctorily just to get it over with). It is rarely used alone without a complement.

Example Sentences

1 shown
他做事很 敷衍 ，没有认真完成。
He does things perfunctorily, without completing them seriously.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 敷衍

敷衍了事
fū yǎn liǎo shì

(idiom) to do things half-heartedly; to merely go through the motions

敷衍塞责
fū yǎn sè zé

to skimp on the job; to work half-heartedly; not to take the job seriously

Child Words of 敷衍

敷
fū

to spread

衍
yǎn

to spread out