Definition
This is a four-character set phrase meaning 'to scrape together' or 'to cobble together' — assembling something from bits and pieces gathered from various places, often hurriedly or with limited resources. It can be used literally (scraping together money) or figuratively (patching together information, writing, etc.). The structure is 东…西…, a common pattern meaning 'here and there' or 'in a scattered way'.
v.p.
to scrape togetherto cobble together from various sources
Examples
- 东拼西凑，。Tā zhǐhǎo dōng pīn xī còu, jiè lái yì bǐ qián huán zhài.He had to scrape together money from various sources to pay off the debt.
- 东拼西凑，。Zhè piān lùnwén shì dōng pīn xī còu xiě chéng de, quēfá xīnyì.This paper was cobbled together from various sources and lacks originality.
- 东拼西凑，。Tāmen dōng pīn xī còu, zǒngsuàn còu qí le lǚxíng suǒ xū de wùpǐn.They scraped together bits and pieces and finally gathered all the items needed for the trip.
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