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HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

画蛇添足

huà shé tiān zú

Drawing Legs on a Snake

A quick artist loses his prize by adding something his finished picture never needed.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ3 min
HANZI102
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文化
CULTURE

When more makes something worse

画蛇添足, recorded in Strategies of the Warring States, literally means ‘draw legs on a snake.’ It criticizes unnecessary additions that spoil something already complete.

Key vocabulary8 words from this story
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阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01画蛇比赛的奖品是什么？
02第一个画完的人又给蛇画了什么？
03最后谁拿走了酒？
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 画蛇添足

What does 画蛇添足 mean in English?

画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) literally means “draw legs on a snake.” It describes spoiling something by adding an unnecessary extra step or detail.

When is 画蛇添足 used?

Use 画蛇添足 when an addition contributes nothing and makes the original result worse. For example: The report was clear until he added ten irrelevant pages; that was 画蛇添足.

What is the pinyin for 画蛇添足?

The pinyin pronunciation for 画蛇添足 is “huà shé tiān zú.”