The meaning of 馬虎/馬馬虎虎

Chinese Knowledge│The meaning of「馬虎 mǎ hū」

Literally, 「馬[马] mǎ」means "horse" .
              「虎 hǔ」means "tiger".

But, 「馬虎 mǎ hū」means "careless".

He always works carelessly.

他做事總是很馬虎

         [总        马]
tā zuò shì zǒng shì hěn mǎ hū

Pronunciation of 「馬虎」
Pay attention that「虎」is pronounced as「hū」in「馬虎」.

The meaning of「馬馬虎虎 mǎ mǎ hū hū」
「馬馬虎虎」is same meaning with 「馬虎 」.

But, there is a special usage for「馬馬虎虎」.

When someone asks you that 
"How are you going today?" or "How are you going recently?"

You can answer that「馬馬虎虎。」

It means "so-so" /"not too bad " here.

The story of「馬虎」
    It is said that there was a painter in ancient times. 

    One day, he just finished drawing the head of a tiger when his friend came by. His friend asked him to draw a horse. The painter was too lazy to start a new one, so he drew a body of a horse right under the tiger head. His friend asked him what he was drawing, a horse or a tiger? The painter said "Oh, it's almost the same." 

     After his friend left, the painter hung the painting on the wall. His elder son asked him "What is this ?" The painter told his son it was a horse. Then the next day, his little son asked him the same question as his elder son did, and the painter told his little son it was a tiger. So the painter's two boys totally had no idea what was a true horse or a tiger. 

      One day, the elder son met a tiger which he thought as a horse. So, he tried to ride it, apparently he died end up. 

      The little son met a hard-won horse which he thought as a tiger. He was afraid, so he shot the horse with the bow.

      After those, people called the painter as Mr. 馬虎 (馬虎先生 mǎ hu xiān sheng).