📖 Meaning
To look at flowers while riding a horse — meaning to give something a quick, superficial glance without taking in the details. It describes a hasty, cursory observation that misses the finer points.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom comes from a poem by the Tang dynasty poet Meng Jiao (孟郊) titled '登科后' (After Passing the Imperial Examination), written in 796 AD. Having finally passed the civil service exam at age forty-six, Meng Jiao rode his horse through the streets of Chang'an in high spirits, writing: '春风得意马蹄疾，一日看尽长安花' — 'Riding fast on spring breeze, I viewed all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day.' Later generations adapted this into the idiom '走马观花' to describe a rushed, superficial experience of things.
💡 Example Usage
这次欧洲之行时间太短，不过是走马观花而已，很多景点都没来得及仔细游览。
The European trip was so short that it was just a quick glance — many attractions didn't get the thorough visit they deserved.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 走马观花
- Pinyin: zǒu mǎ guān huā
- Literal Translation: ride, horse, look, flower
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4