Chinese Idiom Stories: 走馬看花 (Zǒu mǎ kàn huā)

Idiom: 走馬看花 (Zǒu mǎ kàn huā)

Literal Meaning: Looking at flowers while riding a horse.
Explanation: means to observe things only superficially, similar to the English phrase “to take a cursory glance.”

Chinese Idiom Stories

The Origin of the Chinese Idiom “Walking a Horse to View Flowers”

The Chinese idiom “walking a horse to view flowers” (走馬看花, zǒu mǎ kàn huā) originates from a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Meng Jiao: “Spring breeze, proud heart, and swift horse, one day I saw all the flowers of Chang’an.”

Meng Jiao, after years of studying, finally passed the imperial examination and became a scholar. Overjoyed, he rode his horse through the city of Chang’an, admiring the beautiful spring flowers. The poem captures his excitement and joy at that moment.

Over time, the phrase “walking a horse to view flowers” came to be used to describe someone who looks at things quickly and superficially, without going into depth.

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「走馬看花」這句成語，源自唐朝詩人孟郊的詩句：「春風得意馬蹄疾，一日看盡長安花。」

孟郊在中年時，終於考中進士，內心充滿喜悅。於是，他騎著馬在長安城裡到處遊覽，看著滿城的春花，心情非常愉快。這句詩描繪了他當時意氣風發、心情舒暢的情景。

後來，「走馬看花」這個成語就被用來形容人們快速地、粗略地觀看事物，而不深入了解。

Idiom Example Sentences

• 他這次歐洲之旅，行程太緊湊，只能走馬看花，無法深入了解各地的文化。
  • Tā zhè cì Ōuzhōu zhīlǚ, xíngchéng tài jǐn còu, zhǐ néng zǒu mǎ kàn huā, wúfǎ shēnrù liǎojiě gè dì de wénhuà.
  • His European trip was too rushed, so he could only have a cursory look at each place without delving into the local culture.
• 他對這本書的內容只是走馬看花的看過，並沒有真正掌握。
  • Tā duì zhè běn shū de nèiróng zhǐ shì zǒu mǎ kàn huā de kànguò, bìng méiyǒu zhēnzhèng zhǎngwò.
  • He only skimmed through the book without really grasping its content.

Practice Exercise

1. Create a sentence using “走馬看花” to describe someone who rushes through tasks.
   • Example: 你不要走馬看花，這份文件需要仔細檢查。
     (Nǐ bùyào zǒu mǎ kàn huā, zhè fèn wénjiàn xūyào zǐxì jiǎnchá.)
     Don’t just glance over it, this document needs careful review.

Multiple Choice Questions

Which scenario best represents “走馬看花”?

A. Reading a book thoroughly.
B. Quickly skimming through a museum without reading the descriptions.
C. Listening attentively to a lecture.
D. Preparing in detail for a presentation.

Correct answer: B