隔靴搔痒

Traditional form:

隔靴搔癢

Pinyin (reading):

géxuēsāoyǎng

Definitions:

• lit. to scratch the outside of the boot (idiom)
• fig. beside the point
• ineffectual

Characters:

• 隔 - to separate, to partition, to divide
• 靴 - boots
• 搔 - to scratch
• 痒 - to itch; to tickle

Traditional characters:

• 隔 - to separate, to partition, to divide
• 靴 - boots
• 搔 - to scratch
• 癢 - to itch; to tickle