偷工减料 cut corners
Explanation
指做事不认真，为了图省事或节省成本，而降低质量或减少投入。
Refers to the act of doing things carelessly, in order to save time or money, and lowering the quality or reducing the input.
Origin Story
在古代，一位著名的工匠，以精雕细刻闻名天下。他所制作的器物，无不精美绝伦，令人叹为观止。然而，这位工匠却有一个致命的弱点：贪婪。他经常在制作的过程中偷工减料，用劣质的材料和粗糙的手法，来降低成本，以便赚取更多的利润。 有一天，一位富商前来拜访这位工匠，希望他为自己制作一件珍贵的玉器。工匠欣然答应，并收下了富商丰厚的报酬。然而，在制作过程中，工匠却动了歪脑筋，他将原本用于制作玉器的优质玉石，替换成了便宜的劣质石料，用粗糙的工具和简单的技法，草草地制作了玉器。 当玉器制作完成后，工匠将它呈献给了富商。富商仔细端详着玉器，发现它的材质和工艺都十分粗糙，与他想象中的珍贵玉器相差甚远。富商质问工匠为何如此偷工减料，工匠却狡辩道：“我的玉器虽然没有用最好的材料和最好的工艺，但它依然是一件精美的艺术品，您应该感到满意。” 富商气愤地斥责道：“你的贪婪之心真是令人发指，你这样偷工减料，不仅欺骗了我，还败坏了你自己的名声！” 工匠的偷工减料最终暴露了，他的声誉也因此毁于一旦。从此以后，再也没有人敢找他制作任何东西。
In ancient times, a famous craftsman was known throughout the land for his intricate carvings. The objects he created were exquisite, beyond compare, and left people in awe. However, this craftsman had a fatal flaw: greed. He often cut corners in his work, using inferior materials and rough techniques to lower costs and make more profit. One day, a wealthy merchant visited the craftsman, hoping to have him make a valuable jade object. The craftsman readily agreed and accepted the merchant's generous payment. However, during the crafting process, the craftsman got a bad idea. He replaced the high-quality jade that was intended for the object with cheap, inferior stones, using rough tools and simple techniques to hastily produce the object. When the object was finished, the craftsman presented it to the merchant. The merchant carefully examined the object and discovered that its materials and craftsmanship were very rough, far from the valuable jade object he had envisioned. The merchant questioned the craftsman why he had cut corners, but the craftsman argued, "Although my jade object is not made with the best materials and the best techniques, it is still a beautiful work of art, and you should be satisfied." The merchant angrily rebuked him, "Your greed is truly outrageous! You are cheating not only me, but also ruining your own reputation by cutting corners!" The craftsman's cutting corners was eventually exposed, and his reputation was ruined. From that day forward, no one dared to have anything made by him.
Usage
该成语用来批评那些做事不认真，为了图省事或节省成本，而降低质量或减少投入的行为。
This idiom is used to criticize people who are not serious about their work and reduce the quality or effort to save time or money.
Examples
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他做事向来偷工减料，所以质量不过关。
ta zuo shi xiang lai tou gong jian liao, suo yi zhi liang bu guo guan.
He always does things in a shoddy way, so the quality is not up to par.
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这种商品偷工减料，使用寿命很短。
zhe zhong shang pin tou gong jian liao, shi yong shou ming hen duan.
This product is shoddy and has a short lifespan.
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他们偷工减料，把工程做得豆腐渣工程。
tamen tou gong jian liao, ba gong cheng zuo de dou fu zha gong cheng.
They cut corners, and the project is a shoddy job.