English–Chinese
“cut corners” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinfū yǎn
Example
考试不能敷衍，要认真准备。kǎo shì bù néng fū yǎn yào rèn zhēn zhǔn bèi
You can't cut corners on exams; you have to prepare seriously.
How to say “cut corners” in Chinese
“Cut corners” in Chinese is 敷衍 (fū yǎn).
A task is stretched over just enough surface effort to look done, while its real purpose is left largely untouched.
Example sentences with 敷衍
家长不应该对孩子的教育敷衍。jiā zhǎng bù yīng gāi duì hái zi de jiào yù fū yǎn
Parents should not handle their children's education perfunctorily.
Tips for using 敷衍
- The word often describes interpersonal behavior, especially a reply that closes a conversation without engaging with the issue, which makes it useful for recognizing criticism in casual speech.