畫蛇添足 huà shé tiān zú

to overdo it

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to overdo it
  2. 2. lit. draw legs on a snake (idiom); fig. to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous

Characters

Character Meaning
畫 huà
to draw; painting; picture
蛇 shé HSK 5
snake; serpent; variant of 蛇shé
添 tiān HSK 6
to add; to increase; to replenish
足 zú HSK 2
to be sufficient; foot; ample