📖 Meaning
Literally meaning 'thick branches and large leaves,' this idiom originates from painting, where trees were drawn with rough, bold strokes rather than fine detail. It is used metaphorically to describe work that is done carelessly, without attention to detail or thoroughness.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase comes from 'Zhuzi Yulei' (朱子语类), a collection of sayings by the Song dynasty philosopher Zhu Xi. In Volume 78, Zhu Xi discussed the preface to the 'Book of Documents' (书序), arguing it was likely not written by the Han dynasty scholar Kong Anguo. He noted that Han dynasty prose tended to be coarse and unrefined—'rough branches and large leaves'—whereas the preface was too delicate and polished, more resembling the literary style of the Six Dynasties period. Thus the phrase originally described a bold, rough literary or artistic style before evolving to mean careless work.
💡 Example Usage
他做事总是粗枝大叶，经常出错。
He always works carelessly and without attention to detail, frequently making mistakes.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 粗枝大叶
- Pinyin: cū zhī dà yè
- Literal Translation: thick, branch, big, leaf
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4