Definition
轻描淡写 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) that literally means 'light sketch, pale writing,' but figuratively it means to treat something serious as if it were trivial — to gloss over, understate, or play down an issue. It often carries a negative connotation, implying that someone is avoiding the real gravity of a situation.
f.e.
to make light ofto gloss overto understate (something serious)
Examples
- ，轻描淡写。Zhège wèntí hěn yánzhòng, wǒmen bù néng qīng miáo dàn xiě.This problem is very serious; we cannot treat it lightly.
- 轻描淡写，。Tā duì zìjǐ fàn de cuò zhǐshì qīng miáo dàn xiě, méiyǒu rènzhēn sīkǎo.He just glossed over his own mistake and didn't think carefully about it.
- 轻描淡写，。Jǐngfāng duì zhè jiàn shì de chǔlǐ bù néng qīng miáo dàn xiě, bìxū chèdǐ diàochá.The police's handling of this matter cannot be light; they must thoroughly investigate.
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