敷衍了事 fū yǎn liǎo shì Perfunctory

Explanation

指办事马马虎虎，只求应付过去就算完事。

To do something perfunctorily, just to get it over with.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有一位名叫李白的诗人，他应邀参加当地县令的宴会。宴会十分隆重，宾客云集，气氛热烈。然而，李白却显得兴致缺缺，在席间只顾低头饮酒，对县令的热情款待和宾客的谈笑风生都漠不关心。席间，县令向他敬酒，请他赋诗一首以助兴。李白却只是敷衍了事，随口吟诵了几句不成篇的诗句就草草了事，完全没有平时创作时的激情与才华。县令虽有不悦，但碍于李白的身份和名气，也不好说什么。宴席结束后，李白就告辞离开了。县令看着李白离去的背影，心中暗自叹息：‘如此敷衍了事，岂不是辜负了我的好意？’其实，李白并非有意怠慢，只是那时他心中正为一件事忧心忡忡，心不在焉。

huà shuō Táng cháo shíqí, yǒu yī wèi míng jiào Lǐ Bái de shī rén, tā yìngyāo cānjiā dāng dì xiàn lìng de yànhuì. Yànhuì shífēn lóngzhòng, bīn kè yún jí, qìfēn rèliè. Rán'ér, Lǐ Bái què xiǎn de xīngzhì quēquē, zài xí jiān zhǐ gù dītóu yǐnjiǔ, duì xiàn lìng de rèqíng kuǎndài hé bīn kè de tánxiào fēngshēng dōu mò bù guānxīn. Xí jiān, xiàn lìng xiàng tā jìngjiǔ, qǐng tā fù shī yī shǒu yǐ zhùxīng. Lǐ Bái què zhǐshì fūyǎnliǎoshì, suí kǒu yínshì le jǐ jù bù chéng piān de shī jù jiù cǎocǎo le shi, wánquán méiyǒu píngshí chuàngzuò shí de jīqíng yǔ cáihua. Xiàn lìng suī yǒu bùyù, dàn ài yú Lǐ Bái de shēnfèn hé míngqì, yě bù hǎo shuō shénme. Yànxí jiéshù hòu, Lǐ Bái jiù gào cí líkāi le. Xiàn lìng kànzhe Lǐ Bái líqù de bèiyǐng, xīnzhōng àn zì tànxī: ‘rú cǐ fūyǎnliǎoshì, qǐ bùshì gūfù le wǒ de hǎoyì？’ qíshí, Lǐ Bái bìng fēi yǒuyì dài màn, zhǐshì nàshí tā xīnzhōng zhèng wèi yī jiàn shì yōuxīn chōngchōng, xīn bù zài ānyān.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai, who was invited to a banquet hosted by the local magistrate. The banquet was extravagant, with many guests present, and the atmosphere was lively. However, Li Bai seemed disengaged, spending most of the time drinking quietly and ignoring the magistrate's hospitality and the lively conversation around him. When the magistrate offered him a toast and asked for a poem to add to the merriment, Li Bai merely went through the motions, reciting a few disjointed lines before abruptly ending his attempt, lacking his usual passion and talent. The magistrate was unhappy but, considering Li Bai's status and fame, remained silent. After the banquet, Li Bai left. The magistrate watched him go, sighing inwardly, 'Such perfunctoriness, what a waste of my efforts!' In truth, Li Bai hadn't meant to be disrespectful, but he was preoccupied with a worrisome matter.

Usage

常用来形容做事不认真，敷衍了事。

cháng yòng lái xíngróng zuòshì bù rènzhēn, fūyǎnliǎoshì。

Often used to describe doing something carelessly and perfunctorily.

Examples

• 他只是敷衍了事地完成了任务。

  tā zhǐshì fūyǎnliǎoshì de wánchéng le rènwu。

  He only perfunctorily completed the task.

• 不要敷衍了事，认真对待每一件事情。

  bùyào fūyǎnliǎoshì, rènzhēn duìdài měi yījiàn shìqíng。

  Don't just go through the motions, treat every task seriously

Related Idioms

• 敷衍塞责

• 马虎

Opposite Idioms

• 尽心竭力

• 认真负责