走馬觀花

Chinese

		to ride a horse; to go on horseback; to gallop away	to look at; to watch; to observe to look at; to watch; to observe; to behold; Taoist monastery	flower; blossom; to spend flower; blossom; to spend; fancy pattern
trad. (走馬觀花)		走馬	觀	花
simp. (走马观花)		走马	观	花
alternative forms		走馬看花／走马看花
Literally: “ride on horseback to see flowers”.

Etymology

From the story of Tang-dynasty poet Meng Jiao (孟郊) admiring flowers while riding on horseback, after his success in the imperial examinations at the age of 46. He composed the following poem at the time to express his joy:

昔日齷齪不足誇，今朝放蕩思無涯。春風得意馬蹄疾，一日看盡長安花。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

昔日龌龊不足夸，今朝放荡思无涯。春风得意马蹄疾，一日看尽长安花。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: 796 CE, Meng Jiao, 《登科後》 (After Passing the Examination), translation from Scripture in Chinese Chengyu (2010) by James Beasley

Xīrì wòchuò bùzú kuā, jīnzhāo fàngdàng sī wúyá. Chūnfēng déyì mǎtí jí, yīrì kàn jìn Cháng'ān huā. [Pinyin]

The reservations of yesterday are nothing to boast about;
Today, feeling unrestrained, my joy is boundless.
The spring breeze kisses my face as the horse picks up speed;
In one day I will see all the flowers and beauties of Chang'an.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zǒumǎguānhuā

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄡˇ ㄇㄚˇ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄏㄨㄚ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zau² maa⁵ gun¹ faa¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chó͘-má koan hoa

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zǒumǎguānhuā [Phonetic: zóumǎguānhuā]
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄡˇ ㄇㄚˇ ㄍㄨㄢ ㄏㄨㄚ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zǒumǎguanhua
    • Wade–Giles: tsou³-ma³-kuan¹-hua¹
    • Yale: dzǒu-mǎ-gwān-hwā
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzooumaaguanhua
    • Palladius: цзоумагуаньхуа (czoumaguanʹxua)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡soʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯än⁵⁵ xu̯ä⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zau² maa⁵ gun¹ faa¹
    • Yale: jáu máh gūn fā
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzau² maa⁵ gun¹ faa¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zeo² ma⁵ gun¹ fa¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɐu̯³⁵ maː¹³ kuːn⁵⁵ faː⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chó͘-má koan hoa
    • Tâi-lô: tsóo-má kuan hua
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zofmar koafn hoaf
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ mã⁵³ kuan⁴⁴⁻²² hua⁴⁴/

Idiom

走馬觀花

1. (figurative) to make a hurried and cursory observation; to gain only a superficial understanding of something

Synonyms

• 走馬看花／走马看花 (zǒumǎkànhuā)
• 蜻蜓點水／蜻蜓点水

Antonyms

• 鞭辟入裡 (biānpìrùlǐ)