画蛇添足
画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) literally means “draw snake add feet” and expresses “ruin by adding extras”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: hua she tian zu, hua she tian zu,画蛇添足 meaning, 画蛇添足 in english
Ruin by adding extras
Pronunciation: huà shé tiān zú Literal meaning: Draw snake add feet
Origin & Usage
The ancient parable tells of an artist who lost a wine-drinking contest because he spent extra time adding legs to his snake drawing (画蛇添足). The story entered common usage during the Han Dynasty as a warning against ruining sufficiency through unnecessary additions. Today it reminds us how overelaboration often diminishes rather than enhances.
Examples
English: "The excessive explanations only confused the simple concept"
Chinese: 过多的解释反而让简单的概念变得混乱
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
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学海无涯
xué hǎi wú yá
Learning is limitless
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知行合一
zhī xíng hé yī
Practice what you know
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举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Learn many from one example
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温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
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画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīng
Add crucial finishing touch
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读万卷书
dú wàn juǎn shū
Read extensively for knowledge
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抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Offer modest view to inspire better
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 画蛇添足 mean in English?
画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) literally translates to “Draw snake add feet” and is used to express “Ruin by adding extras”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 画蛇添足 used?
Situation: The excessive explanations only confused the simple concept
What is the pinyin for 画蛇添足?
The pinyin pronunciation for 画蛇添足 is “huà shé tiān zú”.
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