画龙点睛

huà lóng diǎn jīng
Literal: "draw dragon, dot eyes"

📖 Meaning

The finishing touch that brings a work to life. A critical detail that elevates something from good to great.

📜 Origin Story

A painter painted four dragons on a temple wall but left out their eyes, claiming that with eyes they would fly away. Skeptics insisted, so he painted eyes on two—and they soared into the sky in a thunderstorm.

💡 Example Usage

最后这句话是画龙点睛之笔。

This final sentence is the dotting of the dragon's eyes—the touch that brings it all to life.

🏷️ Category

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🔤 Quick Facts

  • Chinese: 画龙点睛
  • Pinyin: huà lóng diǎn jīng
  • Literal Translation: draw dragon, dot eyes
  • Category: Quality
  • Characters: 4