隔靴搔癢

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

to separate / to partition / to stand or lie between / at a distance from / after or at an interval of

boots

variant of 靴[xue1]

to scratch / old variant of 騷|骚[sao1]

to scratch (an itch) / to tickle

to itch / to tickle