# 锦上添花

jǐn shàng tiān huā

Make something good even better

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Add flowers to brocade

**Traditional Chinese:** 錦上添花

**Register:** Positive · conversational

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Use for a welcome improvement to something already successful.

Unlike 雪中送炭, it does not describe essential help in a crisis.

## Behind the words

Brocade is already decorative fabric; flowers add further beauty. Classical poetic uses of the image developed into a phrase for an extra improvement.

Brocade is already decorative; adding flowers increases its beauty. The expression describes an extra advantage, improvement, or delight on top of an existing success. It is usually positive, provided the addition actually helps. Unlike 画蛇添足, the extra element strengthens the result. Unlike 雪中送炭, it is welcome enrichment rather than help required to get through a crisis.

## Examples

这家店的服务已经很好，新菜单更是锦上添花。

### Traditional Chinese

這家店的服務已經很好，新菜單更是錦上添花。

zhè jiā diàn de fú wù yǐ jīng hěn hǎo ， xīn cài dān gēng shì jǐn shàng tiān huā 。

The service is already excellent; the new menu makes it even better.

她的插画让这本本来就很精彩的书锦上添花。

### Traditional Chinese

她的插畫讓這本本來就很精彩的書錦上添花。

tā de chā huà ràng zhè běn běn lái jiù hěn jīng cǎi de shū jǐn shàng tiān huā 。

Her illustrations made an already excellent book even better.

有了实用的功能，漂亮的外观更是锦上添花。

### Traditional Chinese

有了實用的功能，漂亮的外觀更是錦上添花。

yǒu le shí yòng de gōng néng ， piào liang de wài guān gèng shì jǐn shàng tiān huā 。

Once the useful features are in place, an attractive design is an added benefit.

婚礼已经很温馨，朋友的演奏又为它锦上添花。

### Traditional Chinese

婚禮已經很溫馨，朋友的演奏又為它錦上添花。

hūn lǐ yǐ jīng hěn wēn xīn ， péng yǒu de yǎn zòu yòu wèi tā jǐn shàng tiān huā 。

The wedding was already lovely, and our friend's performance added to it.

## 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=279&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%8C%A6%E4%B8%8A%E6%B7%BB%E8%8A%B1)

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