Chinese word

画蛇添足

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuà shé tiān zú

Meaning

  • idiomdo something unnecessary

Example

这件事处理得很好，不要再画蛇添足。zhè jiàn shì chú lǐ de hěn hǎo bú yào zài huà shé tiān zú

This matter has been handled well, so do not do anything unnecessary.

Illustration for 画蛇添足 (do something unnecessary)

More examples

在设计上过多装饰只会画蛇添足。zài shè jì shàng guò duō zhuāng shì zhǐ huì huà shé tiān zú

Too much decoration in a design only makes it unnecessarily elaborate.

Core concept

The hand keeps working after the job is complete and makes the result worse.

Common phrases

  • 别为小事画蛇添足bié wèi xiǎo shì huà shé tiān zú

    avoid doing anything unnecessary over a small matter

  • 在细节上画蛇添足zài xì jié shàng huà shé tiān zú

    add unnecessary extras in the details

  • 不要再画蛇添足bú yào zài huà shé tiān zú

    avoid making unnecessary additions again

Similar words

多此一举duō cǐ yì jǔ: Doing an extra action for no useful reason and wasting time or effort.
适得其反shì dé qí fǎn: Producing an unwanted result by taking action meant to achieve something else.
添枝加叶tiān zhī jiā yè: Making facts or a design unnecessarily elaborate by adding extra details or decoration.

Definition in Chinese

把本来已经合适或完成的事，多此一举地加入不必要的部分，反而弄坏或使结果变差。bǎ běn lái yǐ jīng hé shì huò wán chéng de shì duō cǐ yì jǔ dì jiā rù bú bì yào de bù fèn fǎn ér nòng huài huò shǐ jié guǒ biàn chà

Word origin

The idiom 画蛇添足 (huàshétiānzú, "draw a snake and add feet") comes from a tale about adding feet to a completed snake drawing and thereby losing.

Usage tips

  • The expression is useful when a small late revision creates a problem, especially in group work where an agreed result is already in place.

Other meanings

  • add unnecessary extrasidiom
  • add unnecessary detailsidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word