superficial

Definitions

super- (above) + fic (here the face branch of fac, 'surface, made shape') + -ial = 'on the made surface.' Latin superficies meant the upper face of a thing — its surface. From 'staying on the surface' came the figurative sense: shallow, not going deep.

Why It Means This

Superficial keeps both layers of meaning that the Latin surface (super + facies) had: literally on the surface (a superficial wound that doesn't go deep) and figuratively on the surface (a superficial conversation that never gets serious). Same picture — never going below the top layer.

Common Collocations

• 1.superficial wound皮外伤
• 2.superficial understanding肤浅的理解
• 3.superficial resemblance表面上的相似
• 4.superficial analysis浮于表面的分析

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The cut was superficial and healed in a few days.

• 2.

  His knowledge of the subject is rather superficial.

• 3.

  There's only a superficial resemblance between the two cases.

Easily Confused

superficial vs shallow — Both mean 'lacking depth,' but shallow is broader and bluntly judges a person or idea (a shallow person). Superficial often describes treatment or examination of something (a superficial reading) and can be neutral (a superficial wound = literally not deep).