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CHINESE WORD

huà shé tiān zú

画蛇添足

draw legs on a snake (idiom)

HSK 7-9
Numbered pinyin
hua4 she2 tian1 zu2
English meanings
lit. draw legs on a snake (idiom), fig. to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous, to overdo it

Example sentences

Read the Chinese sentence, then check its English translation.

  1. 01

    huàshétiānzú画蛇添足。

    Ruin it with unnecessary additions.

  2. 02

    bié别huàshétiānzú画蛇添足。

    Don't add the unnecessary.

  3. 03

    shì适kě可ér而zhǐ止。

    Know when to stop.

  4. 04

    qiàdàohǎochù恰到好处。

    Just right.

  5. 05

    jiǎn简míng明wèi为hǎo好。

    Keep it simple.

  6. 06

    bǎwò把握fēncun分寸。

    Keep the measure.

Characters in this word

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