照貓畫虎 zhào māo huà hǔ

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. drawing a tiger using a cat as a model (idiom); fig. to follow a model and get things more or less right but without capturing the spirit of the subject
  2. uninspired imitation

CHARACTERS

照 zhào
HSK 3
shine, illumine, reflect
貓 māo cat
畫 huà delineate, painting, picture, drawing; draw
虎 hǔ
HSK 4
tiger; brave, fierce; surname