Word

画龙点睛 (huà lóng diǎn jīng) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

Meaning of 画龙点睛

成语 chéng yǔ idiom

to add the finishing touch

这句话为文章画龙点睛，让主题更加突出。

zhè jù huà wèi wén zhāng huà lóng diǎn jīng ràng zhǔ tí gèng jiā tū chū

This sentence adds the finishing touch to the article, making the theme more prominent.

Word breakdown

画 huà — to paint, to draw

龙 lóng — dragon (the subject being painted)

1 恐龙 kǒng lóng — dinosaur HSK 7
- 恐 terrible, fearsome
- 龙 dragon, large reptile
Example

博物馆里有很多恐龙化石。

bó wù guǎn lǐ yǒu hěn duō kǒng lóng huà shí

There are many dinosaur fossils in the museum.
2 来龙去脉 lái lóng qù mài — the ins and outs HSK 7
- 来 coming; the origin or source
- 龙 dragon; dragon veins (feng shui concept)
- 去 going; the result or outcome
- 脉 veins; the connecting thread or continuity
Example

他详细地解释了事情的来龙去脉。

tā xiáng xì de jiě shì le shì qing de lái lóng qù mài

He explained the ins and outs of the matter in detail.
3 水龙头 shuǐ lóng tóu — faucet HSK 7
- 水 water
- 龙 dragon (metaphor for flowing water)
- 头 head, spout (the outlet)
Example

他打开水龙头洗手。

tā dǎ kāi shuǐ lóng tóu xǐ shǒu

He turned on the faucet to wash his hands.
4 沙龙 shā lóng — salon HSK 7
- 沙 phonetic component representing 'sa' sound from French 'salon'
- 龙 phonetic component representing 'lon' sound from French 'salon'
Example

她经常参加文学沙龙。

tā jīng cháng cān jiā wén xué shā lóng

She often attends literary salons.
5 跑龙套 pǎo lóng tào — play a walk-on role; be an extra HSK 7
- 跑 to perform, to do (the action of performing)
- 龙 dragon (part of 龙套, referring to dragon-patterned costumes)
- 套 suit, costume (completes 龙套, the costume worn by extras)
Example

他刚开始跑龙套，后来成了大明星。

tā gāng kāi shǐ pǎo lóng tào hòu lái chéng le dà míng xīng

He started out playing walk-on roles, and later became a big star.

点 diǎn — to dot, to add a crucial detail

睛 jīng — eyeball, pupil (the finishing detail that brings life)

1 眼睛 yǎn jing — eye HSK 2
- 眼 eye (general organ of sight)
- 睛 eyeball, pupil (the bright, seeing part)
Example

她有一双美丽的眼睛。

tā yǒu yì shuāng měi lì de yǎn jing

She has a pair of beautiful eyes.
2 目不转睛 mù bù zhuǎn jīng — stare fixedly without blinking HSK 7
- 目 eye
- 不 not
- 转 turn, rotate
- 睛 eyeball, pupil
Example

孩子们目不转睛地看着魔术师的表演。

hái zi men mù bù zhuǎn jīng de kàn zhe mó shù shī de biǎo yǎn

The children stared fixedly at the magician's performance.

Structure & writing

1 画 huà — to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool)

画 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 一 yī — the smallest positive integer; one (①used before a measure word ②used before a noun ③indicates a single action or a brief/tentative action)

一 is a component in 58 characters

HSK 1

下 xià lower position (opposite of 上): ① positioned below (opposite of 上); ② later in order or time; ③ within a certain range, condition, or circumstance 两 liǎng two (used before measure words and 半, 千, 万, 亿) 事 shì matter; affair; everything that happens in nature and society 候 hòu to wait; to await 元 yuán the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan

Show more HSK 1 characters (+10)

HSK 2

夫 fū general term for an adult man 画 huà to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool)

HSK 3

其 qí pronoun: ① he, they ② his, their ③ that, those 合 hé to close; to shut; to bring together (opposite of 开) 夏 xià summer (the second of the four seasons) 带 dài ribbon, strip, or belt-shaped object 应 yìng to reply; to answer

Show more HSK 3 characters (+7)

或 huò perhaps; maybe 更 gēng to change; to replace; to substitute 末 mò tip or end of an object 求 qiú to beg, to implore 演 yǎn to evolve; to change gradually 直 zhí straight; not curved (opposite of 曲) 行 xíng to walk; to go

HSK 4

亚 yà inferior (mostly used in negative constructions) 亲 qīn related by blood or marriage; esp. parents 具 jù tool; utensil; implement 咸 xián (lit.) all; everyone (classical adverb) 断 duàn to break into two or more pieces (of something long)

HSK 5

善 shàn kind; benevolent; charitable (opposite of 恶) 威 wēi authority or power that commands awe and respect 旦 dàn dawn; early morning 未 wèi not yet (opposite of 已) 武 wǔ military; martial (opposite of civil/literary "文")

HSK 6

兼 jiān doubled; combining two portions into one 德 dé morality; ethical standards and norms of conduct 拜 bài to bow or salute as a show of respect 灭 miè go out; stop burning or shining (opposite of 着) 衰 shuāi to decline, to weaken

HSK 7

丘 qiū small hill; mound 丙 bǐng third of the ten Heavenly Stems; used to indicate third in order 丛 cóng to cluster together, to gather in a mass 兹 zī (lit., class.) demonstrative pronoun: this; this one 兽 shòu beast; mammal (generally referring to four-legged, fur-covered mammals)

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拯 zhěng to rescue, to save 朱 zhū vermilion, bright red 胚 pēi embryo; organism in early development, formed from fertilized or unfertilized egg 蒙 méng ignorant, lacking knowledge 贮 zhù to store; to stockpile 逆 nì to go in the opposite direction (opposite of 顺) 遣 qiǎn to dispatch; to send 陋 lòu ugly; unsightly 隆 lóng grand; magnificent

1.2 凵 kǎn — open mouth; gaping opening

凵 is a component in 5 characters

HSK 1

出 chū to go out; from inside to outside (opposite of 进/入)

HSK 2

画 huà to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool)

HSK 5

齿 chǐ tooth; the organ for chewing food in the mouths of humans and some animals

HSK 7

凶 xiōng inauspicious; ominous (of death, disaster, etc., opposite of 吉) 凿 záo chisel (a hand tool with a blade for carving or boring)

1.3 田 tián — farmland; cultivated field (in some regions specifically paddy field)

田 is a component in 23 characters

HSK 1

果 guǒ fruit; the seed-bearing part of a plant after flowering 男 nán male (opposite of "female") 里 lǐ inner lining (of clothing, bedding, etc.); reverse side of a fabric

HSK 2

备 bèi to possess, to be equipped with 思 sī to think, consider, use one's mind 画 huà to draw or paint (with a brush or similar tool) 累 lěi to pile up; to accumulate

HSK 3

界 jiè boundary between different regions 留 liú to stay in a place; not to leave

HSK 4

奋 fèn to rouse oneself; to strive vigorously 细 xì thin (of a rod-like object, opposite of 粗)

HSK 5

胃 wèi stomach (digestive organ connecting the esophagus and duodenum)

HSK 6

略 lüè brief, not detailed; opposite of '详' 雷 léi thunder (the loud sound produced when two oppositely charged clouds discharge electricity)

HSK 7

亩 mǔ mǔ, a Chinese unit of area (1 mǔ = 666.7 m²; 10 fēn = 1 mǔ; 100 mǔ = 1 qǐng) 兽 shòu beast; mammal (generally referring to four-legged, fur-covered mammals) 嚏 tì (lit.) to sneeze 甸 diàn outlying areas beyond the suburbs in ancient times 畔 pàn boundary of a field

Show more HSK 7 characters (+4)

畜 chù animal; esp. domesticated beast 畴 chóu (lit.) cultivated farmland 畸 jī irregular, abnormal 苗 miáo seedling; tender shoots or leaves of certain vegetables

Stroke order

2 龙 lóng — dragon (a legendary creature in Chinese mythology with a long body, scales, and horns, capable of walking, flying, and swimming; in modern paleontology, refers to some reptiles with limbs and tails)

龙 is a component in 9 characters

HSK 5

宠 chǒng to dote on; to indulge with excessive affection (often from a superior to an inferior)

HSK 6

庞 páng large (in size or quantity) 笼 lóng cage or basket made of bamboo, wood, or wire for holding birds, animals, or objects

HSK 7