照貓畫虎 zhào māo huà hǔ

uninspired imitation

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. uninspired imitation
  2. 2. 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

Characters

Character Meaning
照 zhào HSK 3
to take (a photo); to illuminate; to shine
貓 māo
cat; (dialect) to hide oneself; (coll.) modem
畫 huà
to draw; painting; picture
虎 hǔ HSK 4
tiger