| 半桶水 |
bàn tǒng shuǐ |
(coll.) (of one's skills, knowledge etc) limited / superficial / half-baked / sb with a smattering of knowledge (of sth) / dabbler |
| 半 |
bàn |
half / semi- / incomplete / (after a number) and a half |
| 桶 |
tǒng |
bucket; barrel; keg / classifier for bucketfuls, barrelfuls etc |
| 水 |
Shuǐ |
surname Shui / Shui ethnic group |
| 水 |
shuǐ |
water / (after a name) ... River / to swim (used mostly in 会水 and 水性) / (coll.) lacking in substance; shoddy / (bound form) additional cost; extra income / classifier for washings of a garment |