The story behind 不求甚解 is key to its meaning. It originates from the essay “The Biography of Mr. Five Willows” (《五柳先生传》) by the celebrated Jin Dynasty poet Tao Yuanming (陶渊明). He used it to describe his own reading habits: “好读书，不求甚解” (hǎo dú shū, bù qiú shèn jiě) - “I love to read, but I don't seek a deep understanding.” For Tao Yuanming, this was a positive trait. He was rejecting pedantic, overly analytical scholarship. He believed in reading for spiritual and intellectual pleasure, capturing the essence and spirit of a text rather than getting bogged down in textual criticism. This reflects a Daoist-influenced ideal of appreciating the whole without dissecting it into pieces. In modern times, however, the connotation has largely flipped. In a society that values expertise, rigor, and thoroughness (especially in academics and the workplace), 不求甚解 is most often a criticism. It implies a lack of diligence and a superficial attitude.
This idiom is common in formal and educational contexts. Its connotation depends heavily on who is speaking and what the situation is.
This is the default meaning in modern Chinese. It is used to criticize students, employees, or anyone who has done a poor or incomplete job of understanding something important. It implies laziness or a lack of responsibility.
Less commonly, it can be used to describe a deliberate strategy of learning, especially in the initial stages. For example, one might take a 不求甚解 approach to quickly survey a new field of study before diving deep into one specific area. It can also be used in a self-deprecating way to sound humble, e.g., “I only have a superficial understanding (不求甚解) of this topic.”