浮光掠影
浮光掠影 (fú guāng lüè yǐng) literally means “floating light fleeting shadow” and expresses “superficial impression without depth”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: fu guang lüe ying, fu guang lüe ying,浮光掠影 meaning, 浮光掠影 in english
Superficial impression without depth
Pronunciation: fú guāng lüè yǐng
Literal meaning: Floating light fleeting shadow
Origin & Usage
This ephemeral idiom combines floating (浮) light (光) with fleeting (掠) shadows (影), originating from Southern Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in verses describing the transient nature of reflections on water, creating a powerful metaphor for superficial experiences without depth. The imagery drew from traditional Chinese landscape aesthetics, where reflections and shadows represented impermanence. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist philosophers adopted it to illustrate the illusory nature of sensory experience. Unlike terms for simple carelessness, it emphasizes the inherently superficial nature of certain perceptions. Modern usage describes cursory understanding or brief impressions that lack substantive engagement, particularly in contexts of cultural appreciation or knowledge acquisition.
Examples
English: "The one-day tour only gave tourists a superficial impression of the ancient culture"
Chinese: 一日游只能给游客留下古老文化的肤浅印象
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 浮光掠影 mean in English?
浮光掠影 (fú guāng lüè yǐng) literally translates to “Floating light fleeting shadow” and is used to express “Superficial impression without depth”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 浮光掠影 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving superficial impression without depth.
What is the pinyin for 浮光掠影?
The pinyin pronunciation for 浮光掠影 is “fú guāng lüè yǐng”.