Definition
弄巧成拙 is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'try to be clever but end up clumsy'. It describes a situation where someone attempts to show off their skill or intelligence, but the result backfires and makes them look foolish. You use it when an overcomplicated or showy approach ruins something that would have been fine with a simple method.
f.e.
to try to be clever but end up making things worseto outsmart oneself
Examples
- ，弄巧成拙，。Tā běnlái xiǎng bāngmáng, jiéguǒ lòng, bǎ wèntí gǎo de gèng fùzá le.He originally wanted to help, but ended up making things worse and complicating the problem.
- 弄巧成拙，。Xiě lùnwén shí bié lòng, jiǎndān zhíjiē fǎn'ér gèng hǎo.Don't try to be clever when writing a paper; simple and direct is better.
- ，弄巧成拙，。Tā wèile xuànyào zìjǐ de jìqiǎo, què lòng, nào le xiàohuà.He tried to show off his skills but ended up making a fool of himself.
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