画虎成狗 — “To draw a tiger but end up with a dog”
画虎成狗 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to attempt to imitate something grand or excellent, but fail miserably and end up with something awkward, incongruous, or inferior; to botch an imitation”. Literally, “To draw a tiger but end up with a dog”.
画虎成狗 Pronunciation and Pinyin
画虎成狗 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 画虎成狗
Origin and Story of 画虎成狗
In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, General Fubo Ma Yuan was very strict in educating his nephews and younger relatives, hoping they would become useful talents.
He disliked his nephews Ma Yan and Ma Dun gossiping behind people's backs. He wrote a letter, titled "A Letter of Admonition to My Nephews Yan and Dun," advising them to learn from upright figures like Du Jiliang and Long Bogao.
He warned that if they failed to learn properly and emulate these virtues, their attempts would be like someone trying to draw a tiger but ending up with a dog, an utterly failed and awkward imitation.
Idioms Related to 画虎成狗
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
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Open the tool →Questions about 画虎成狗
What does 画虎成狗 mean?
画虎成狗 (huà hǔ chéng gǒu) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to attempt to imitate something grand or excellent, but fail miserably and end up with something awkward, incongruous, or inferior; to botch an imitation”.
How do you pronounce 画虎成狗?
画虎成狗 is pronounced huà hǔ chéng gǒu in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 画虎成狗 literally mean?
Literally, 画虎成狗 means “to draw a tiger but end up with a dog”. It is used to mean “to attempt to imitate something grand or excellent, but fail miserably and end up with something awkward, incongruous, or inferior; to botch an imitation”.
Where does 画虎成狗 come from?
画虎成狗 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 画虎成狗?
画老虎不成，却成了狗。比喻模仿不到家，反而不伦不类。