Chinese word

得过且过

Pronunciation

Pinyindé guò qiě guò

Meaning

  • idiommuddle along

Example

遇到问题时，他总是得过且过。yù dào wèn tí shí tā zǒng shì dé guò qiě guò

When he runs into problems, he always just muddles along.

Illustration for 得过且过 (muddle along)

More examples

如果只得过且过，迟早会出问题。rú guǒ zhǐ dé guò qiě guò chí zǎo huì chū wèn tí

If you just muddle along, you will run into problems sooner or later.

Core concept

A person patches over each difficulty just enough to keep the present situation going, without addressing what lies underneath.

Common phrases

  • 得过且过地过日子dé guò qiě guò dì guò rì zi

    muddle along through life

  • 对问题得过且过duì wèn tí dé guò qiě guò

    let problems slide

  • 得过且过的态度dé guò qiě guò de tài dù

    a muddle-along attitude

Similar words

敷衍了事fū yán liǎo shì: Handling a task superficially and stopping once the basic form is complete.
马马虎虎má mǎ hū hū: Doing things carelessly, without attention to detail, so the result is not very good.
混日子hùn rì zi: Passing the days without making a steady effort.

Definition in Chinese

对困难或职责采取暂时应付、不求改进、以维持表面或现状为主的消极处事态度。duì kùn nán huò zhí zé cái qǔ zàn shí yìng fù bù qiú gǎi jìn yǐ wéi chí biǎo miàn huò xiàn zhuàng wéi zhǔ de xiāo jí chǔ shì tài dù

Word origin

得 (dé, "manage") + 过 (guò, "get through") + 且 (qiě, "for now") + 过 forms the idea of getting through something for now and then doing the same again, with no move toward improvement.

Usage tips

  • 得过且过 (déguòqiěguò, "get by for now") usually carries criticism in everyday Chinese, so it describes a poor attitude toward a task rather than a neutral way of coping.

Other meanings

  • let things slideidiom
  • deal with things as they comeidiom

Opposites

  • 勤勤恳恳qín qín kén kěnwork diligentlyidiom

Word lists with this word