画蛇添足

楚chǔ国guó几jǐ个人gè rén分fēn一yì壶hú酒jiǔ，酒jiǔ只zhǐ够gòu一yí个人gè rén喝hē。

Some men of Chu shared a pot of wine, enough for one.

他们tā men约定yuē dìng：在zài地上dì shang画huà蛇shé，谁shéi先xiān画huà完wán，酒jiǔ归guī谁shéi。

They agreed: whoever draws a snake first drinks it.

一yí个人gè rén先xiān画huà完了wán le，他tā看kàn别人bié ren还hái没méi画huà完wán，就jiù说shuō：我wǒ给gěi蛇shé画huà几jǐ只zhī脚jiǎo吧ba。

One finished first; seeing the rest still drawing, he said: I'll add feet to mine.

脚jiǎo没méi画huà完wán，另lìng一yí个人gè rén画huà完了wán le，抢qiǎng过guò酒jiǔ壶hú说shuō：蛇shé本来běn lái没有méi yǒu脚jiǎo，你nǐ画huà的de不bú是shì蛇shé。

Before the feet were done another finished and seized the pot: a snake has no feet, yours isn't a snake.

多duō做zuò的de事shì，不但bú dàn没用méi yòng，还hái把bǎ该gāi得de的de也yě丢diū了le。

Doing more than needed didn't help, it cost him the prize.