Definition & Meaning

draw a snake and add feet to it; ruin the effect by adding something superfluous; (the additional discourses) are completely superfluous

huà shé tiān zú

画 蛇 添 足

Level:

HSK6 NHSK 789－1

ReadWriteQuiz

Chinese dictionary
Show pinyinHide pinyin

derogdraw a snake and add feet to it; ruin the effect by adding something superfluous; (the additional discourses) are completely superfluous
- huì yì zhǔ xí hòu lái de huà bǎ tīng zhòng gǎo hú tu le zhēn shi huà shé tiān zú
  会议主席后来的话把听众搞糊涂了，真是画蛇添足。
  What the chairman added afterwards only served to perplex the audience.
- duì cǐ fā biǎo píng shuō wú yì yú huà shé tiān zú
  对此发表评说无异于画蛇添足。
  Comment on this would be to gild the lily.
- zhè jiǎn zhí shì huà shé tiān zú
  这简直是画蛇添足。
  This is gilding the lily.
synonym
duō cǐ yī jǔ多此一举
antonym
qià dào hǎo chù恰到好处 qià rú qí fèn恰如其分 huà lóng diǎn jīng画龙点睛

Hot words today