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自作聪明

自作聰明
zìzuòcōngmíng
idiom #13,335

Meanings

  1. 1 to think oneself clever
  2. 2 to be a smart aleck
  3. 3 to outsmart oneself

Examples

他自作聪明，结果弄巧成拙。
Tā zìzuòcōngmíng, jiéguǒ nòngqiǎochéngzhuō.
He thought he was being clever, but ended up making things worse.
别自作聪明了，老老实实按规定来。
Bié zìzuòcōngmíng le, lǎolǎoshíshí àn guīdìng lái.
Stop trying to be clever — just follow the rules honestly.

Tips

usage
Always derogatory. Used to criticize someone who overestimates their own intelligence and ends up looking foolish or causing problems.

Stroke Order

自 zì
作 zuò
聪 cōng
明 míng