# 粗枝大叶

cū zhī dà yè

Handle something carelessly without attention to detail

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Thick branches and large leaves

**Traditional Chinese:** 粗枝大葉

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Criticize an approach that overlooks important details.

Use it for a specific lapse or pattern rather than a person's worth.

## The image & its use

A sketch can establish the broad shape of a tree while leaving every small feature unresolved. This expression extends the broadness of the image to careless work. A report may contain the main idea yet miss dates, names, or essential measurements. The phrase is critical when those details matter to the task. Early brainstorming can intentionally stay broad, so distinguish an appropriate rough draft from a finished result that needed closer attention. A specific correction makes the feedback more useful.

## Examples

核对日期不能粗枝大叶。

### Traditional Chinese

核對日期不能粗枝大葉。

hé duì rì qī bù néng cū zhī dà yè 。

Checking dates requires care with details.

他做事有时粗枝大叶，需要多检查一遍。

### Traditional Chinese

他做事有時粗枝大葉，需要多檢查一遍。

tā zuò shì yǒu shí cū zhī dà yè ， xū yào duō jiǎn chá yí biàn 。

He sometimes overlooks details and needs an extra check.

这份说明写得粗枝大叶，几个关键步骤没有交代。

### Traditional Chinese

這份說明寫得粗枝大葉，幾個關鍵步驟沒有交代。

zhè fèn shuō míng xiě dé cū zhī dà yè ， jǐ gè guān jiàn bù zhòu méi yǒu jiāo dài 。

The instructions are careless about detail and omit several key steps.

她提醒大家，整理资料时不要粗枝大叶。

### Traditional Chinese

她提醒大家，整理資料時不要粗枝大葉。

tā tí xǐng dà jiā ， zhěng lǐ zī liào shí bú yào cū zhī dà yè 。

She reminded everyone to attend to details when organizing the material.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1312&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%B2%97%E6%9E%9D%E5%A4%A7%E8%91%89)

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