Dictionary content from CC-CEDICT

蜻蜓点水

Word definition:

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Simplified
Pīnyīn
English Definition Add a new word to the dictionary Traditional
HSK
lit. the dragonfly touches the water lightly / superficial contact (idiom)

Character decomposition:

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CharacterTot Str
Rad / Str
Mandarin
Pīnyīn
Unihan Definition
standalone and in compounds
Jyutping
Cantonese
Variant
Four corner
Cangjie
蜻
splitcomponent searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *蜻* | 蜻* | *蜻
14画
dragonfly
5512.7
LIQMB
蜓
splitcomponent searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *蜓* | 蜓* | *蜓
12画
dragonfly
5213.1
LINKG
点
splitcomponent searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *点* | 点* | *点
9画
dot, speck, spot; point, degree
點
2133.6
YRF
水
component searchstroke orderdetailspronouncebaikeskritter
 *水* | 水* | *水
4画
water, liquid, lotion, juice
1223.0
E

Word decomposition:

SimplifiedEnglish Definition
蜻蜓点水
lit. the dragonfly touches the water lightly / superficial contact (idiom)
蜻
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *蜻* | 蜻* | *蜻
see 蜻蜓
蜻蜓
dragonfly
 蜓
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *蜓* | 蜓* | *蜓
see 蜻蜓
  点
  diǎn​
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *点* | 点* | *点
to touch briefly; to tap / to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list) / to order (food etc); to select / to mention; to bring up (a topic or person) / to hint at; to imply / to administer (eye medicine etc) in drops / to light (a fire, a lamp etc); to ignite / to nod (one's head) in agreement; to beckon by moving (one's hand) up and down / point; dot; spot; speck / dot stroke in Chinese characters / (math.) decimal point / point in time or space / (after a number) o'clock / a small amount; a bit; (after a verb or adjective) a bit more / classifier for small amounts
  点水
to skim / lightly touching the water (as the dragonfly in the idiom 蜻蜓點水|蜻蜓点水) / skin-deep
   水
   Shuǐ​
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *水* | 水* | *水
surname Shui / Shui ethnic group
   水
   shuǐ​
charactercopystroke orderAIpronouncebaikeskritterexampleCorrect
  *水* | 水* | *水
water / (after a name) ... River / to swim (used mostly in 會水|会水 and 水性) / (coll.) lacking in substance; shoddy / (bound form) additional cost; extra income / classifier for washings of a garment