畫蛇添足的成語故事是來自楚國一個貴族的故事。蛇本來沒有腳，先畫成蛇的人，卻將蛇添了腳，結果蛇不像蛇。 有些人自以爲是，喜歡節外生枝，結果往往弄巧成拙，不正像這個畫蛇添足的人嗎?
畫蛇添足簡介
楚國有個人，祭祀祖先以後，把一壺酒給了來幫忙的門客。可是幾人喝少了，一人喝有餘。於是有人建議讓我們各人在地上畫一條蛇，誰先畫成誰就喝酒。其中一個最先畫成，看大家還在畫，便給蛇添上腳。還沒有添完，另一個人畫成了，奪過酒壺，那個給蛇添腳的人，結果丟掉了一壺酒。
畫蛇添足的故事
從前，楚國有一戶人家，祭完祖宗以後，把一壺祭祀時用過的酒，賞給幫助辦事的人喝。
辦事的人很多，可是酒只有一壺，到底給誰喝呢?有人提議說：“各人都在地上畫一條蛇，誰畫得快、畫得像，就把這壺酒給誰喝。”
大家都認爲這個辦法很好。
有一個人畫得很快，一轉眼，就把蛇畫好了。這壺酒應該歸他。可是，這時候，他看看別人都沒有畫好，就想再炫耀一下自己的能耐。他得意洋洋地說：“你們畫得多慢啊，讓我再畫上幾隻蛇腳吧!”
他左手拿着酒壺，右手又開始給畫好了的蛇添上腳。當他正在添足的時候，另一個人卻把蛇畫好了，而且立刻把酒壺奪了過去，說：“蛇是沒有腳的，你怎麼畫上了腳?第一個畫好蛇的是我，不是你哩!”
那人說完話，就心安理得地喝起酒來。
畫蛇添足的材料
【注音】huà shé tiān zú
【出處】《戰國策·齊策二》：“蛇固無足，子安能爲之足？”
【解釋】畫蛇時給蛇添上腳。比喻做事多餘，不但無益，反而有害。
【用法】連動式，作賓語。
【近義詞】多此一舉、弄巧成拙、適得其反
【反義詞】恰到好處、畫龍點睛
【例句】在作文時，我們一定要詳略得當，絕不能添枝加葉，畫蛇添足。
【歇後語】多此一舉
畫蛇添足英文版
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.
畫蛇添足的道理
1.有時我們做事不能多此一舉，因爲可能會造成你失去一些東西。
2.無論做什麼事情都要尊重客觀事實，實事求是。要不然只會弄巧成拙，成爲大家茶餘飯後的笑談。
3.不能自以爲是，總想着賣弄自己，否則非但不能把事情做好，反而會把事情弄砸。
