Do "lipstick on a pig" and "画蛇添足" share the same meaning? 画蛇添足 means "drawing snake with feet".
-
1search web using e.g. "中文 lipstick on a pig" get many results, e.g. language.chinadaily.com.cn/trans/2009-08/17/content_8579764.htm– user6065Mar 19, 2018 at 4:22
-
1I think the Chinese word (成语) for the "lipstick on a pig" is 对牛弹琴.– BlaszardMar 19, 2018 at 5:02
-
1more like 東施效顰.– Tang Ho ♦Mar 19, 2018 at 5:26
-
1"lipstick on a pig", I don't know how American think about this phrase, but to me it means "醜人多作怪".– r13Apr 26, 2021 at 5:32
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
画蛇添足 means 'ruin things by adding unnecessary, inappropriate addition'
Adding legs on a snake in a painting not only doesn't improve its quality , it actually ruins it by adding unnecessary, inappropriate addition
For example:
Man: "I love you"
Woman: "I love you too"
So far so good
Man: "I love you as much as I love my dog"
Now it is too much information, the second sentence from the man is '蛇足'(unnecessary, inappropriate addition)
"lipstick on a pig" means something entirely different. It means " wasted effort", a pig is a pig, no matter how much make up you put on it, it can never looked like a pretty lady.