畫蛇添足的成語(yǔ)故事是來(lái)自楚國(guó)一個(gè)貴族的故事。蛇本來(lái)沒(méi)有腳，先畫成蛇的人，卻將蛇添了腳，結(jié)果蛇不像蛇。 有些人自以為是，喜歡節(jié)外生枝，結(jié)果往往弄巧成拙，不正像這個(gè)畫蛇添足的人嗎?
楚國(guó)有個(gè)人，祭祀祖先以后，把一壺酒給了來(lái)幫忙的門客。可是幾人喝少了，一人喝有余。于是有人建議讓我們各人在地上畫一條蛇，誰(shuí)先畫成誰(shuí)就喝酒。其中一個(gè)最先畫成，看大家還在畫，便給蛇添上腳。還沒(méi)有添完，另一個(gè)人畫成了，奪過(guò)酒壺，那個(gè)給蛇添腳的人，結(jié)果丟掉了一壺酒。
從前，楚國(guó)有一戶人家，祭完祖宗以后，把一壺祭祀時(shí)用過(guò)的酒，賞給幫助辦事的人喝。
辦事的人很多，可是酒只有一壺，到底給誰(shuí)喝呢?有人提議說(shuō)：“各人都在地上畫一條蛇，誰(shuí)畫得快、畫得像，就把這壺酒給誰(shuí)喝。”
大家都認(rèn)為這個(gè)辦法很好。
有一個(gè)人畫得很快，一轉(zhuǎn)眼，就把蛇畫好了。這壺酒應(yīng)該歸他。可是，這時(shí)候，他看看別人都沒(méi)有畫好，就想再炫耀一下自己的能耐。他得意洋洋地說(shuō)：“你們畫得多慢啊，讓我再畫上幾只蛇腳吧!”
他左手拿著酒壺，右手又開(kāi)始給畫好了的蛇添上腳。當(dāng)他正在添足的時(shí)候，另一個(gè)人卻把蛇畫好了，而且立刻把酒壺奪了過(guò)去，說(shuō)：“蛇是沒(méi)有腳的，你怎么畫上了腳?第一個(gè)畫好蛇的是我，不是你哩!”
那人說(shuō)完話，就心安理得地喝起酒來(lái)。
【注音】huà shé tiān zú
【出處】《戰(zhàn)國(guó)策·齊策二》：“蛇固無(wú)足，子安能為之足？”
【解釋】畫蛇時(shí)給蛇添上腳。比喻做事多余，不但無(wú)益，反而有害。
【用法】連動(dòng)式，作賓語(yǔ)。
【近義詞】多此一舉、弄巧成拙、適得其反
【反義詞】恰到好處、畫龍點(diǎn)睛
【例句】在作文時(shí)，我們一定要詳略得當(dāng)，絕不能添枝加葉，畫蛇添足。
【歇后語(yǔ)】多此一舉
Drawing a snake with feet
In the past a family in the State of Chu made sacrificial offers to their ancestors, and after that they rewarded the people who helped in the ceremony with the pot of wine used in it.
There were many helpers but only one pot of wine. Who should drink it? Someone suggested: "Each person is to draw a snake on the ground. Whoever draws fastest and most lifelike will get the pot
of wine."
Everyone thought this was a good idea.
One man drew very fast, finished it in the twinkling of an eye, and was given the pot of wine. At this moment, he saw that the others had not yet finished, so he wanted to flaunt his skill once
more. He said proudly: "How slow you are! Let me add a few snake feet."
Holding the wine pot in his left hand, he began to add feet to the finished snake with his right hand. When he was just adding feet to the snake, another man finished his drawing. He grabbed
the wine pot at once, saying: "A snake has no feet. How could you add feet to it? The first one who finished drawing a snake is I, not you."
Having said this, the man drank the wine with an easy conscience.
1.有時(shí)我們做事不能多此一舉，因?yàn)榭赡軙?huì)造成你失去一些東西。
2.無(wú)論做什么事情都要尊重客觀事實(shí)，實(shí)事求是。要不然只會(huì)弄巧成拙，成為大家茶余飯后的笑談。
3.不能自以為是，總想著賣弄自己，否則非但不能把事情做好，反而會(huì)把事情弄砸。
