shallow and unwise; superficial and thoughtless
A yojijukugo describing a person or viewpoint that is superficial, lacking depth of thought or wisdom. Often used in critical or literary contexts.
His opinion is shallow and unwise, not touching the essence of the problem.
With a superficial and thoughtless way of thinking, this difficult problem cannot be solved.
浅薄 alone means 'shallow' or 'superficial', but 皮相浅薄 emphasizes both superficiality (皮相) and shallowness (浅薄) together, making it stronger and more literary.
皮相 means 'superficial' or 'surface-level', but 皮相浅薄 adds the nuance of thoughtlessness or lack of wisdom.
A yojijukugo combining 皮相 (superficial, surface) and 浅薄 (shallow, superficial). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a literary compound used to criticize lack of depth.