画虎不成 — “To attempt something ambitious or difficult but fail to achieve it”
画虎不成 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to attempt something ambitious or difficult but fail to achieve it”. Often resulting in a poor imitation and becoming a laughingstock. Literally, “Fail to draw a tiger”.
画虎不成 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 画huà
- 虎hǔ
- 不bù
- 成chéng
画虎不成 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 画虎不成
Origin and Story of 画虎不成
In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, General Ma Yuan, known as Fubo General, was very strict in educating his nephews and younger generations, hoping they would become useful talents. He disliked his nephews Ma Yan and Ma Dun gossiping behind people's backs.
He wrote a letter, 'Admonitions to My Nephews Yan and Dun,' to warn them, advising them to learn from exemplary figures like Du Jiliang and Long Bogao.
He warned that if they failed to learn from these esteemed individuals, it would be like attempting to draw a tiger but failing, and instead drawing something that resembled a dog, becoming an object of ridicule.
Idioms Related to 画虎不成
Synonyms of 画虎不成
Antonyms of 画虎不成
More idioms starting with 画
- huà画yī一zhī之fǎ法a uniform law or policy
- huà画zhōng中yǒu有shī诗poetry in painting
- huà画luǎn卵diāo雕xīn薪indulge in extreme extravagance
- huà画tǔ土fēn分jiāng疆divide and demarcate territory
- huà画dì地wéi为láo牢confine oneself to a designated scope
- huà画dì地wéi为láo牢，，yì议bù不rù入confined by fear, dare not overstep
- huà画dì地wéi为yù狱restrict to a specified sphere
- huà画dì地wéi为yù狱，，shì势bù不rù入Tyrannical power creates insurmountable fear
- huà画dì地zuò作yù狱confine to a designated area
- huà画dì地kè刻mù木to be jailed and interrogated
- huà画dì地chéng成tú图demonstrate exceptional talent and skill
- huà画dì地chéng成láo牢Confine oneself to a limited scope
Questions about 画虎不成
- What does 画虎不成 mean?
- 画虎不成 (huà hǔ bù chéng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to attempt something ambitious or difficult but fail to achieve it”.
- How do you pronounce 画虎不成?
- 画虎不成 is pronounced huà hǔ bù chéng in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 画虎不成 literally mean?
- Literally, 画虎不成 means “Fail to draw a tiger”. It is used to mean “to attempt something ambitious or difficult but fail to achieve it”.
- Where does 画虎不成 come from?
- 画虎不成 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 画虎不成?
- 比喻好高骛远，一无所成，反贻笑柄。