try to draw a tiger and end up with the likeness of a dog -- make a poor imitation

try to draw a tiger and end up with the likeness of a dog -- make a poor imitation

Chinese idiom, Pinyin is Hu à h à ch é NGG à u, which means that imitation is not perfect, but nondescript. It comes from the biography of Ma Yuan in the book of the later Han Dynasty.

Idiom usage

I'm afraid I can't imitate well, but I'm afraid I'll turn a tiger into a dog and cause slander.

Analysis of Idioms

Synonym: draw a tiger but not a dog

The origin of Idioms

Ma Yuan Zhuan in the book of the later Han Dynasty: "if you can't be good in season, you can't fall into the trap of being a light son in the world. It's so-called that you can't draw a tiger but like a dog."

Idiom explanation

It's not a tiger, but a dog. It means that imitation is not perfect, but nondescript.

Idiom story

In the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Fubo General Ma Yuan was very strict with the education of his sons and nephews, hoping that they would become useful talents. He didn't like his nephews Ma Yan and Ma Dun gossiping behind others. He wrote a letter to admonish them to learn from Du Jiliang and long BOGAO. If you can't learn, it's like you can't draw a tiger. Instead, you can draw like a dog.