画蛇添足
Use 画蛇添足 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to ruin something by overdoing it.
to ruin something by overdoing itStories that stuck
Chengyu without textbook dust.
Each idiom includes story, literal meaning, modern usage, English equivalent, and a clickable example.
画蛇添足
Use 画蛇添足 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to ruin something by overdoing it.
to ruin something by overdoing it画蛇添足
Use 画蛇添足 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to ruin something by overdoing it.
to ruin something by overdoing it画蛇添足
Use 画蛇添足 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to ruin something by overdoing it.
to ruin something by overdoing it亡羊补牢
Use 亡羊补牢 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to fix the root cause after a loss.
to fix the root cause after a loss亡羊补牢
Use 亡羊补牢 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to fix the root cause after a loss.
to fix the root cause after a loss亡羊补牢
Use 亡羊补牢 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to fix the root cause after a loss.
to fix the root cause after a loss亡羊补牢
Use 亡羊补牢 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to fix the root cause after a loss.
to fix the root cause after a loss半途而废
Use 半途而废 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to give up halfway.
to give up halfway半途而废
Use 半途而废 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to give up halfway.
to give up halfway半途而废
Use 半途而废 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to give up halfway.
to give up halfway半途而废
Use 半途而废 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to give up halfway.
to give up halfway一举两得
Use 一举两得 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to achieve two goals with one action.
to achieve two goals with one action一举两得
Use 一举两得 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to achieve two goals with one action.
to achieve two goals with one action一举两得
Use 一举两得 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to achieve two goals with one action.
to achieve two goals with one action一举两得
Use 一举两得 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to achieve two goals with one action.
to achieve two goals with one action对牛弹琴
Use 对牛弹琴 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to explain something to the wrong audience.
to explain something to the wrong audience对牛弹琴
Use 对牛弹琴 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to explain something to the wrong audience.
to explain something to the wrong audience对牛弹琴
Use 对牛弹琴 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to explain something to the wrong audience.
to explain something to the wrong audience对牛弹琴
Use 对牛弹琴 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to explain something to the wrong audience.
to explain something to the wrong audience马马虎虎
Use 马马虎虎 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: so-so; careless.
so-so; careless马马虎虎
Use 马马虎虎 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: so-so; careless.
so-so; careless马马虎虎
Use 马马虎虎 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: so-so; careless.
so-so; careless马马虎虎
Use 马马虎虎 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: so-so; careless.
so-so; careless雪中送炭
Use 雪中送炭 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: help given at the right moment.
help given at the right moment雪中送炭
Use 雪中送炭 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: help given at the right moment.
help given at the right moment雪中送炭
Use 雪中送炭 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: help given at the right moment.
help given at the right moment雪中送炭
Use 雪中送炭 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: help given at the right moment.
help given at the right moment锦上添花
Use 锦上添花 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to add something nice to an already good thing.
to add something nice to an already good thing锦上添花
Use 锦上添花 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to add something nice to an already good thing.
to add something nice to an already good thing锦上添花
Use 锦上添花 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to add something nice to an already good thing.
to add something nice to an already good thing锦上添花
Use 锦上添花 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to add something nice to an already good thing.
to add something nice to an already good thing一目了然
Use 一目了然 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: clear at a glance.
clear at a glance一目了然
Use 一目了然 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: clear at a glance.
clear at a glance一目了然
Use 一目了然 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: clear at a glance.
clear at a glance一目了然
Use 一目了然 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: clear at a glance.
clear at a glance乱七八糟
Use 乱七八糟 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: messy and chaotic.
messy and chaotic乱七八糟
Use 乱七八糟 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: messy and chaotic.
messy and chaotic乱七八糟
Use 乱七八糟 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: messy and chaotic.
messy and chaotic乱七八糟
Use 乱七八糟 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: messy and chaotic.
messy and chaotic说到做到
Use 说到做到 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to do what one says.
to do what one says说到做到
Use 说到做到 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to do what one says.
to do what one says说到做到
Use 说到做到 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to do what one says.
to do what one says说到做到
Use 说到做到 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to do what one says.
to do what one says事半功倍
Use 事半功倍 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: half the effort, twice the result.
half the effort, twice the result事半功倍
Use 事半功倍 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: half the effort, twice the result.
half the effort, twice the result事半功倍
Use 事半功倍 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: half the effort, twice the result.
half the effort, twice the result事半功倍
Use 事半功倍 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: half the effort, twice the result.
half the effort, twice the result事倍功半
Use 事倍功半 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: twice the effort, half the result.
twice the effort, half the result事倍功半
Use 事倍功半 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: twice the effort, half the result.
twice the effort, half the result事倍功半
Use 事倍功半 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: twice the effort, half the result.
twice the effort, half the result事倍功半
Use 事倍功半 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: twice the effort, half the result.
twice the effort, half the result目不转睛
Use 目不转睛 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to stare without looking away.
to stare without looking away目不转睛
Use 目不转睛 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to stare without looking away.
to stare without looking away目不转睛
Use 目不转睛 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to stare without looking away.
to stare without looking away目不转睛
Use 目不转睛 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: to stare without looking away.
to stare without looking away心不在焉
Use 心不在焉 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: absent-minded.
absent-minded心不在焉
Use 心不在焉 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: absent-minded.
absent-minded心不在焉
Use 心不在焉 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: absent-minded.
absent-minded心不在焉
Use 心不在焉 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: absent-minded.
absent-minded有条不紊
Use 有条不紊 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: orderly and methodical.
orderly and methodical有条不紊
Use 有条不紊 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: orderly and methodical.
orderly and methodical有条不紊
Use 有条不紊 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: orderly and methodical.
orderly and methodical有条不紊
Use 有条不紊 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: orderly and methodical.
orderly and methodical不可思议
Use 不可思议 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: unbelievable.
unbelievable不可思议
Use 不可思议 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: unbelievable.
unbelievable不可思议
Use 不可思议 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: unbelievable.
unbelievable不可思议
Use 不可思议 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: unbelievable.
unbelievable理所当然
Use 理所当然 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: as it should be; taken for granted.
as it should be; taken for granted理所当然
Use 理所当然 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: as it should be; taken for granted.
as it should be; taken for granted理所当然
Use 理所当然 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: as it should be; taken for granted.
as it should be; taken for granted理所当然
Use 理所当然 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: as it should be; taken for granted.
as it should be; taken for granted千里之行
Use 千里之行 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: a long journey begins with a first step.
a long journey begins with a first step千里之行
Use 千里之行 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: a long journey begins with a first step.
a long journey begins with a first step千里之行
Use 千里之行 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: a long journey begins with a first step.
a long journey begins with a first step千里之行
Use 千里之行 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: a long journey begins with a first step.
a long journey begins with a first step自相矛盾
Use 自相矛盾 in work contexts when the situation matches the meaning: self-contradictory.
self-contradictory自相矛盾
Use 自相矛盾 in study contexts when the situation matches the meaning: self-contradictory.
self-contradictory自相矛盾
Use 自相矛盾 in social contexts when the situation matches the meaning: self-contradictory.
self-contradictory自相矛盾
Use 自相矛盾 in product contexts when the situation matches the meaning: self-contradictory.
self-contradictory画蛇添足
to ruin something by adding unnecessary extra work
to overdo it; to gild the lily亡羊补牢
to fix a problem after a loss so it does not happen again
better late than never; fix the root causeHow to learn Chinese idioms without sounding like a dusty textbook
A practical approach to learning chengyu stories, literal meanings, modern usage, and English approximations.
。 This idiom is also often used in workplace contexts now.