画蛇添足

huà shé tiān zú

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

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Definitions

1. lit. draw legs on a snake (idiom); fig. to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous
2. to overdo it

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 适可而止 shì kě ér zhǐ 适可而止 shì kě ér zhǐ (idiom) to refrain from going too far; to know when to stop 在适当的时候停止，不要过头: (idiom) to refrain from going too far; to know when to stop

Related words

1 item

• 画龙点睛 huà lóng diǎn jīng 画龙点睛 huà lóng diǎn jīng to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes (idiom); fig. to add the vital finishing touch 比喻在关键处加上精辟的语句，使内容更加生动有力: to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes (idiom); fig. to add the vital finishing touch

Usage notes

Common mistakes

“画蛇添足”本身已是动词性成语，前不再加“做”等动词，如不说“做了一个画蛇添足的事”。

Example Sentences

1 shown

你这么做简直是 画蛇添足 。

What you did is simply gilding the lily.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 画蛇添足

• 添 添 tiān: to add
• 蛇 蛇 shé: snake
• 足 足 jù: excessive
• 足 足 zú: foot
• 画 画 huà: to draw