| 蜻蜓点水 |
qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ |
lit. the dragonfly touches the water lightly / superficial contact (idiom) |
| 蜻 |
qīng |
see 蜻蜓 |
| 蜻蜓 |
qīng tíng |
dragonfly |
| 蜓 |
tíng |
see 蜻蜓 |
| 点 |
diǎn |
point / dot / drop / speck / o'clock / point (in space or time) / to draw a dot / to check on a list / to choose / to order (food in a restaurant) / to touch briefly / to hint / to light / to ignite / to pour a liquid drop by drop / (old) one fifth of a two-hour watch 更 / dot stroke in Chinese characters / classifier for items |
| 点水 |
diǎn shuǐ |
to skim / lightly touching the water (as the dragonfly in the idiom 蜻蜓点水) / skin-deep |
| 水 |
Shuǐ |
surname Shui |
| 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 |