An ancient poem describing a brief taste of things

Qian Tao Zhi Zhi

Qian Tao Zhi Zhi (qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐ)

Explanation Qian: preliminary; Zhi: just; Zhi: stop. Give it a little try and then stop. It is a metaphor for unwillingness to work hard to study deeply.

Origin from Qing Dynasty Peng Yangou's "The Wrongful Souls of Black Records": "This thing must be tasted. A literati can only taste it briefly, and use it to please one's nature and cultivate one's emotions. Why not?"

Usage Linked form; used as predicate and attributive; with derogatory connotations

Example: You can’t learn knowledge, you have to persevere