弄巧成拙 nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō

to try to be clever and end up with egg on one's face

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 33147th word

Definitions

  1. 1. to try to be clever and end up with egg on one's face
  2. 2. to overreach oneself

Characters

Character Meaning
弄 nòng HSK 4
to do; to handle; to manage
巧 qiǎo HSK 4
coincidentally; as it happens; skillful
成 chéng HSK 3
to become; to succeed; to complete
拙 zhuō HSK 6
clumsy; awkward; inelegant