Definition
半吊子 is a colloquial Chinese noun describing a person who is shallow or incompetent in their knowledge or skills — a dabbler who never achieves real proficiency. It can also refer to someone who acts impulsively or without proper consideration, often causing social awkwardness. The term carries a distinctly negative judgment and is used in everyday speech rather than formal writing.
n.
dabblerperson with superficial or incomplete knowledge of somethingtactless or impulsive personsomeone who acts without thinking
Examples
- ，半吊子。Tā xué shénme dōu zhǐ xué yìdiǎn, zhēnshi ge bàn diào zi.He only learns a little bit of everything — he's really a dabbler.
- 半吊子，。Nǐ bié gēn nàge bàn diào zi yìqǐ bànshì, tā zǒngshì bù kǎolǜ hòuguǒ.Don't work with that impulsive guy; he never considers the consequences.
- ，半吊子。Tā xiě dàimǎ de shíhou zǒngshì bú chèdǐ, zài tóngshì yǎn lǐ jiù shì ge bàn diào zi.When he writes code he never does it thoroughly, so in his coworkers' eyes he's a dabbler.
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