画蛇添足 — “To ruin the effect by adding something superfluous”
画蛇添足 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to ruin the effect by adding something superfluous”. To overdo it, making something worse or unnecessary. Literally, “drawing a snake and adding feet”.
画蛇添足 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 画huà
- 蛇shé
- 添tiān
- 足zú
画蛇添足 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 画蛇添足
Origin and Story of 画蛇添足
In ancient Chu, a nobleman, after offering sacrifices to his ancestors, gave a pot of sacrificial wine to his retainers who had helped.
The retainers discussed among themselves, saying, "If we all drink this pot of wine, it won't be enough; but if one person drinks it, there will be plenty. Let's each draw a snake on the ground, and whoever finishes first will get to drink this pot of wine."
One person quickly finished drawing his snake. As he was about to pick up the wine pot to drink, he proudly held the pot in his left hand and continued to draw on his snake with his right hand, saying, "I can even add some feet to it!"
However, before he could finish drawing the feet, another person had already completed his snake. That person snatched the pot and said, "Snakes originally have no feet; how can you add feet to it?" With that, he drank the wine from the pot.
The man who added feet to his snake ultimately lost the wine that was almost his.
Idioms Related to 画蛇添足
Antonyms of 画蛇添足
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 画蛇添足
- What does 画蛇添足 mean?
- 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to ruin the effect by adding something superfluous”.
- How do you pronounce 画蛇添足?
- 画蛇添足 is pronounced huà shé tiān zú in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 画蛇添足 literally mean?
- Literally, 画蛇添足 means “drawing a snake and adding feet”. It is used to mean “to ruin the effect by adding something superfluous”.
- Where does 画蛇添足 come from?
- 画蛇添足 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 画蛇添足?
- 画蛇时给蛇添上脚。比喻做了多余的事，非但无益，反而不合适。也比喻虚构事实，无中生有。