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huà 画 lóng 龙 diǎn 点 jīng 睛

画龙点睛 huà lóng diǎn jīng

to add the finishing touch that brings a work to life

Literally: draw dragon dot eye

Intermediate 🐉 Animals & fables
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

From the Tang text Lidai Minghua Ji: the painter Zhang Sengyou painted dragons without eyes; when urged to dot in the pupils, the dragons came alive and flew away.

How to use it

Predicate or attributive; positive. Often 起到画龙点睛的作用.

Example sentences

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  1. 文章最后一句话画龙点睛，让整篇文章都活了。
    Wénzhāng zuìhòu yī jù huà huà lóng diǎn jīng, ràng zhěng piān wénzhāng dōu huó le.
    The last sentence is the finishing touch that brings the whole article to life.
    article last one (measure) sentence draw dragon dot eye, make whole (measure) article all live (particle)
  2. 这条红围巾在她的衣服上起到了画龙点睛的作用。
    Zhè tiáo hóng wéijīn zài tā de yīfu shàng qǐdào le huà lóng diǎn jīng de zuòyòng.
    The red scarf is the finishing touch to her outfit.
    this (measure) red scarf at she (particle) clothes on play (particle) draw dragon dot eye (particle) effect

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