<p>马虎 means careless, casual, perfunctory, etc.<br>
So-so mean neither good nor bad, in between.<br>
Example on how to use 马虎:  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Question: 为什么你的数学考试打分呢么差？ (Why is your score so low on your math test?)<br>
  Answer: 我马虎了。 (I was a bit careless.)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>马马虎虎 can be shortened to 马虎 in some cases, as shown in the example above.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-14T03:47:25.227Z
I don't think 马虎 is short for 马马虎虎. Using repetitive characters is a feature of Chinese to alter the expression in speaking. More than often 马虎 means carelessness and 马马虎虎 means a midly degree of something.
user1228520
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-14T05:38:42.177Z
小马词典： 
马虎 mǎ hu careless; sloppy; negligent; skimpy
马马虎虎 mǎ ma hū hū careless; casual; vague; not so bad; so-so; tolerable; fair
iciba has many sample sentences for both
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-16T22:04:32.080Z
I am a native speaker so I believe I should be able to give a reasonable judge: 马马虎虎 -> not so bad, average; 马虎 -> careless. They have totally different meaning and cannot be replaced by each other. This is not so usual but it happens.
Xiaoge Su
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-12T08:27:32.487Z
This should not be the accepted answer because it is incorrect.
Frenzy Li
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-14T00:11:56.850Z
2015-03-14T00:56:39.800Z
2015-03-14T00:56:39.800Z
ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq
<p>I am a native Chinese speaker of Northeastern Chinese origin.</p>

<p>"马马虎虎" can also be used when you are trying to be modest.  For example, if someone praises you:</p>

<p>"Friso, 你的中文讲得好棒啊！" （Friso, your spoken Chinese is so good!)</p>

<p>Then you may reply with a smile, "马马虎虎，马马虎虎。" </p>

<p>People will interpret it as you're being modest, and they usually like a response like this.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-17T08:21:46.003Z
So it's similar to 哪里哪里?
Friso
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-17T18:20:45.100Z
"哪里哪里" sounds a little formal and old-fashioned.  "马马虎虎，马马虎虎" sounds casual and somewhat humorous.
mangoyogurt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-20T04:54:48.073Z
@mangoyogurt I generally find that the difference between how I use 马马虎虎 and 哪里哪里 in this context is that if I think my Chinese is pretty good then I would use 哪里哪里 whereas if I think my Chinese is not that good but someone thought it was then I would use 马马虎虎. If you pretend to sound too humble and it doesn't quite match your actual skill then it seems unnatural as well.
Michael Lai
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-17T01:55:22.713Z
2015-03-17T02:01:55.957Z
2015-03-17T02:01:55.957Z
mangoyogurt
<p>*Q: How's your exam?</p>

<p>问：你考得怎么样？</p>

<p>答：马马虎虎吧。</p>

<p>*马虎-形容一个人做事很不小心。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-16T16:01:00.217Z
2015-03-16T16:01:00.217Z
user9571
<p>I think it's used like 'so so' in English. Like</p>
<blockquote>
<p>问题：你觉得怎么样？</p>
<p>回答：马马虎虎。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Am I correct in this?
Are there other ways to use it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-14T01:19:10.400Z
searching internet immediately leads to widely respected dictionaries like wiktionary，baidu。baike，chengyu.itlearner.com，zdic。net，some users have raised objections to iciba because of sometimes defective English，which however does not detract from its usefulness in providing plenty of sample sentences
user6065
<meaning>
How is 马马虎虎 used?
# How is 马马虎虎 used?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-13)

I think it's used like 'so so' in English. Like

> 问题：你觉得怎么样？
>
> 回答：马马虎虎。

Am I correct in this?
Are there other ways to use it?

**Tags:** meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: searching internet immediately leads to widely respected dictionaries like wiktionary，baidu。baike，chengyu.itlearner.com，zdic。net，some users have raised objections to iciba because of sometimes defective English，which however does not detract from its usefulness in providing plenty of sample sentences  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-03-14. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

马虎 means careless, casual, perfunctory, etc.  
So-so mean neither good nor bad, in between.  
Example on how to use 马虎:

> Question: 为什么你的数学考试打分呢么差？ (Why is your score so low on your math test?)  
> Answer: 我马虎了。 (I was a bit careless.)

马马虎虎 can be shortened to 马虎 in some cases, as shown in the example above.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I don't think 马虎 is short for 马马虎虎. Using repetitive characters is a feature of Chinese to alter the expression in speaking. More than often 马虎 means carelessness and 马马虎虎 means a midly degree of something.  
> **username_1**: 小马词典：  马虎 mǎ hu careless; sloppy; negligent; skimpy 马马虎虎 mǎ ma hū hū careless; casual; vague; not so bad; so-so; tolerable; fair iciba has many sample sentences for both  
> **username_4**: I am a native speaker so I believe I should be able to give a reasonable judge: 马马虎虎 -> not so bad, average; 马虎 -> careless. They have totally different meaning and cannot be replaced by each other. This is not so usual but it happens.  
> **username_5**: This should not be the accepted answer because it is incorrect.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2015-03-17. Score: 2

I am a native Chinese speaker of Northeastern Chinese origin.

"马马虎虎" can also be used when you are trying to be modest. For example, if someone praises you:

"username_0, 你的中文讲得好棒啊！" （username_0, your spoken Chinese is so good!)

Then you may reply with a smile, "马马虎虎，马马虎虎。"

People will interpret it as you're being modest, and they usually like a response like this.

Hope this helps.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So it's similar to 哪里哪里?  
> **username_6**: "哪里哪里" sounds a little formal and old-fashioned.  "马马虎虎，马马虎虎" sounds casual and somewhat humorous.  
> **username_7**: @username_6 I generally find that the difference between how I use 马马虎虎 and 哪里哪里 in this context is that if I think my Chinese is pretty good then I would use 哪里哪里 whereas if I think my Chinese is not that good but someone thought it was then I would use 马马虎虎. If you pretend to sound too humble and it doesn't quite match your actual skill then it seems unnatural as well.  

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### Answer by username_8 on 2015-03-16. Score: 0

\*Q: How's your exam?

问：你考得怎么样？

答：马马虎虎吧。

\*马虎-形容一个人做事很不小心。


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