# 画蛇添足

huà shé tiān zú

Spoiling something by adding too much

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Draw a snake and add feet

**Traditional Chinese:** 畫蛇添足

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Use when an unnecessary addition weakens otherwise good work.

The addition must be unhelpful; it does not mean simply doing extra work.

## Behind the words

In a story in Strategies of the Warring States, a man finishes drawing a snake, then adds feet. His needless flourish costs him the prize.

A snake with feet is no longer the creature the drawing was meant to represent. The image explains why extra effort can actively damage a successful result. This is stronger than simply saying something is unnecessary: the addition distracts, distorts, or undermines what already works. Use it after identifying the part that should have been left alone.

## Examples

这份报告已经很清楚了，再加一页反而画蛇添足。

### Traditional Chinese

這份報告已經很清楚了，再加一頁反而畫蛇添足。

zhè fèn bào gào yǐ jīng hěn qīng chǔ le ， zài jiā yí yè fǎn ér huà shé tiān zú 。

The report is already clear; adding another page would only spoil it.

这张海报已经很醒目，再放十个图标就是画蛇添足。

### Traditional Chinese

這張海報已經很醒目，再放十個圖標就是畫蛇添足。

zhè zhāng hǎi bào yǐ jīng hěn xǐng mù ， zài fàng shí gè tú biāo jiù shì huà shé tiān zú 。

The poster already stands out; adding ten more icons would only weaken it.

她删掉了结尾那句画蛇添足的解释。

### Traditional Chinese

她刪掉了結尾那句畫蛇添足的解釋。

tā shān diào liǎo jié wěi nà jù huà shé tiān zú de jiě shì 。

She removed the unnecessary explanation at the end.

菜本身已经很鲜，再加浓重的酱汁反而画蛇添足。

### Traditional Chinese

菜本身已經很鮮，再加濃重的醬汁反而畫蛇添足。

cài běn shēn yǐ jīng hěn xiān ， zài jiā nóng zhòng de jiàng zhī fǎn ér huà shé tiān zú 。

The dish already tastes fresh; a heavy sauce would spoil it with an unnecessary addition.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=23&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%95%AB%E8%9B%87%E6%B7%BB%E8%B6%B3)

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