Hey there, 朋友 (friends)! Ever had one of those days when you feel like you’re just not quite there? I remember one day when everything seemed a bit…馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū). My mind was everywhere but where it needed to be. Not exactly a shining moment, right? So, I exclaimed to my friend, “我今天真的是馬馬虎虎 (wǒ jīntiān zhēn de shì mǎmǎhūhū)” and she chuckled, knowing just what I meant. So, let’s take a closer look at this intriguing Chinese proverb, shall we?
馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū)
- English: Careless, casual, not very good, so-so
- Traditional Mandarin: 馬馬虎虎
- Simplified Mandarin: 马马虎虎
- Pinyin: mǎmǎhūhū
- Pleco Definition:
- Careless; casual
- Not very good; passable; just so-so
The History of 馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū)
To really understand 馬馬虎虎, let’s take a little trip back in time to the Song Dynasty, around the years 960-1272 AD. Our tale involves a certain artist and his very intriguing piece of art.
So, this artist was wholeheartedly engrossed in painting a fierce tiger. Suddenly, a friend dropped by and requested a painting of a horse. Now, instead of grabbing a new canvas, our artist friend thought he’d get a little creative. He proceeded to sketch the body of a horse on the same canvas, connecting it with the head of the tiger he had painted earlier.
When curious onlookers enquired about his unique creation, the artist jovially responded, “馬馬虎虎”, which literally translates to ‘horse horse tiger tiger’. Quite the fascinating mix-up, right?
But, that’s not where our story ends. You see, the artist had two sons. When his elder son asked about the painting, the father said it was a tiger. Later, his younger son posed the same question, and to him, the father said it was a horse.
This confusion led to unfortunate events.
The elder son, believing his father’s words, mistakenly shot a horse, thinking it was a tiger. This error cost the father dearly as he had to compensate the owner of the horse. The younger son, on the other hand, encountered a real tiger and, mistaking it for a horse, tried to ride it, leading to tragic consequences.
Overwhelmed with grief, the father later composed a poem to commemorate this tragic turn of events:
馬虎圖，
馬虎圖，
似馬又似虎，
長子依圖射死馬，
次子依圖喂了虎。
草堂焚毀馬虎圖，
奉勸諸君莫學吾。
马虎图，
马虎图，
似马又似虎，
长子依图射死马，
次子依图喂了虎。
草堂焚毁马虎图，
奉劝诸君莫学吾。
Mǎ hū tú,
Mǎ hū tú,
Sì mǎ yòu sì hǔ,
Chángzǐ yī tú shè sǐ mǎ,
Cìzǐ yī tú wèi le hǔ.
Cǎo táng fén huǐ mǎ hū tú,
Fèngquàn zhū jūn mò xué wú.
Horse-tiger picture,
Horse-tiger picture,
Resembling both a horse and a tiger，
My eldest son shot dead a horse because of this picture,
My second-eldest son was eaten by a tiger because of this picture.
I burned the horse-tiger picture in my cottage,
I implore you, ladies and gentlemen: Don’t do what I did!
Modern-Day Use of 馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū)
In modern-day Mandarin, 馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū) has come to describe someone who is careless or actions that lack attentiveness. Its usage isn’t typically associated with describing one’s mood, though non-native speakers might use it in that context.
Drawing from the original tale’s confusion between a horse and a tiger, today’s usage taps into that mix-up, symbolizing the lack of focus and care in an action or person.
Here are some example sentences to help you grasp the usage of this phrase:
- 他的作業看起來就像是馬馬虎虎做的。
- 我不喜歡他馬馬虎虎的態度。
- 她馬馬虎虎地回答了我的問題，讓我有些困惑。
- 你的中文寫得馬馬虎虎。
- 看到他馬馬虎虎的工作態度，經理很不滿。
- 他的作业看起来就像是马马虎虎做的。
- 我不喜欢他马马虎虎的态度。
- 她马马虎虎地回答了我的问题，让我有些困惑。
- 你的中文写得马马虎虎。
- 看到他马马虎虎的工作态度，经理很不满。
- Tā de zuòyè kàn qǐlái jiù xiàng shì mǎmǎhǔhǔ zuò de.
- Wǒ bù xǐhuān tā mǎmǎhūhū de tàidù.
- Tā mǎmǎhūhū de huídá le wǒ de wèntí, ràng wǒ yǒuxiē kùnhuò.
- Nǐ de zhōngwén xiě de mǎmǎhūhū.
- Kàn dào tā mǎmǎhūhū de gōngzuò tàidù, jīnglǐ hěn bùmǎn.
- His homework looks like it was done carelessly.
- I don’t like his careless attitude.
- She answered my question carelessly, which left me a bit confused.
- Your Chinese writing is just so-so.
- The manager was displeased to see his careless work attitude.
So, remember, next time you’re feeling a little 馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū), you’re not alone. We’ve all had those days, and now you have the perfect phrase to describe it. Happy learning, and remember, don’t let your actions be 馬馬虎虎 (mǎmǎhūhū)!
