Chinese word dictionary

锦上添花

jǐnshàng-tiānhuā · lit. add flowers to brocade (idiom); fig. to give sth additional splendor; to provide the crowning touch; (derog.) to benefit sb who is already well off

Practice word

Word information

Simplified锦上添花

Traditional錦上添花

Pinyinjǐnshàng-tiānhuā

Part of speechGeneral

HSK 3.07-9

HSK 2.0Not listed

Character breakdown

Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.

锦jǐn

brocade, tapestry; embroidered

上shàng

above, on top, superior; to go up; to attend; previous

添tiān

to add, to append, to increase, to replenish

花huā

flower, blossom; to spend (time or money)

How to learn 锦上添花

Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.

When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.

Related vocabulary

Words with the same characters

Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.

上shàng

(bound form) up; upper; above; previous; first (of multiple parts); to climb; to get onto; to go up; to attend (class or university); (directional complement) up; (noun suffix) on; above

上班shàngbān

to go to work; to be on duty; to start work; to go to the office

上课shàngkè

to go to class; to attend class; to go to teach a class

上午shàngwǔ

morning; CL:個|个[ge4]

上学shàngxué

to go to school; to attend school

晚上wǎnshang

evening; night; CL:個|个[ge4]; in the evening