画龙点睛

畫龍點睛
huàlóng-diǎnjīng
idiom HSK 7-9 #51,544

Meanings

  1. 1 to paint a dragon and dot in the eyes
  2. 2 to add the vital finishing touch
  3. 3 the crucial detail that brings something to life

Examples

HSK 5
Wénzhāng zuìhòu yī jù qǐdào le huàlóng-diǎnjīng de zuòyòng.
The last sentence of the article served as the perfect finishing touch.
HSK 7-9
Zhè fú huà hěn hǎo, dàn hái xūyào huàlóng-diǎnjīng zhī bǐ.
This painting is great, but it still needs that vital finishing touch.

Tips

history
From a legend about the painter Zhang Sengyao (张僧繇) of the Liang Dynasty. He painted four dragons on a temple wall but left out their eyes. When people pressed him, he dotted the eyes on two dragons - which then came alive and flew away.
usage
Often used as 画龙点睛之笔 - 'the finishing stroke' - referring to a small but crucial addition that makes something outstanding.

Stroke Order

huà
lóng
diǎn
jīng