粗制滥造
cū zhì làn zào
shoddily made; churned out carelessly
Character by character
粗cū
rough
rough
制zhì
make
make
滥làn
careless
careless
造zào
make
make
Example
这家小工厂粗制滥造，生产的椅子坐几次就坏了。
This little factory churns out shoddy goods: its chairs break after you have sat on them a few times.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
Of products and buildings, and of books, films and TV series turned out for quick money: 粗制滥造的电视剧. 滥 means excessive, without restraint; the opposite is 精益求精 or 精雕细琢.
Learn this in Lesson 128 · HSK 7–9: 装修一套房 (Doing up a flat)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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