How do you pronounce 照葫芦画瓢?

照葫芦画瓢 is pronounced zhào hú lu huà piáo in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 照葫芦画瓢 literally mean?

Literally, 照葫芦画瓢 means “Draw a gourd by tracing a gourd”. It is used to mean “to imitate or copy mechanically without originality”.

Where does 照葫芦画瓢 come from?

照葫芦画瓢 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

照葫芦画瓢 — “To imitate or copy mechanically without originality”

照葫芦画瓢 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to imitate or copy mechanically without originality”. To follow a set pattern without much thought. Literally, “Draw a gourd by tracing a gourd”.

Frequency

照葫芦画瓢 Pronunciation and Pinyin

照zhào
葫hú
芦lu
画huà
瓢piáo

照葫芦画瓢 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
照	zhào	13	to shine, photograph, or care for
葫	hú	12	bottle gourd
芦	lu	7	reed plant
画	huà	8	draw, paint, or picture
瓢	piáo	16	ladle or scoop

Example Sentence with 照葫芦画瓢

学徒初期，他只能照葫芦画瓢地模仿师傅的技艺，但随着经验增长，他开始有了自己的风格。

In the initial apprenticeship, he could only mechanically imitate his master's techniques, but as his experience grew, he began to develop his own style.

Origin and Story of 照葫芦画瓢

During the early Song Dynasty, Tao Gu, a Hanlin academician, prided himself on his literary prowess and exceptional talent. Eager for a promotion, he advised Emperor Taizu of Song to prioritize literary work.

However, Emperor Taizu believed Tao Gu's job was merely one of transcription, dismissing it as "drawing gourds by following a pattern" (照葫芦画瓢).

Disappointed that his aspirations were unfulfilled, Tao Gu inscribed a poem on the wall of his residence: 'How laughable that Academician Tao, year after year, merely draws gourds following a model.'

Idioms Related to 照葫芦画瓢

Synonyms of 照葫芦画瓢

Antonyms of 照葫芦画瓢

biāo标xīn新lì立yì异be unconventional and original

More idioms starting with 照

Questions about 照葫芦画瓢

What does 照葫芦画瓢 mean?: 照葫芦画瓢 (zhào hú lu huà piáo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to imitate or copy mechanically without originality”.
How do you pronounce 照葫芦画瓢?: 照葫芦画瓢 is pronounced zhào hú lu huà piáo in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 照葫芦画瓢 literally mean?: Literally, 照葫芦画瓢 means “Draw a gourd by tracing a gourd”. It is used to mean “to imitate or copy mechanically without originality”.
Where does 照葫芦画瓢 come from?: 照葫芦画瓢 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 照葫芦画瓢?: 比喻照着样子模仿。

Copy the pinyin for 照葫芦画瓢 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.