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Yojijukugo

Japanese meaning of 画竜点睛

がりょうてんせい (garyou tensei)

English Translation:

The finishing touch

Meaning & Cultural Context

Meaning:

The finishing touch; literally “painting in the dragon’s eyes,” the final detail that brings a work to life.
日本語で読む
物事を完成させるための最後の大切な仕上げ。わずかな部分だが、全体を引き立てる肝心な点。

Cultural Context:

From a Chinese anecdote: the painter Zhang Sengyou painted dragons without eyes, and when he added the pupils, the dragons flew away. In Japanese, the negative form 画竜点睛を欠く is very common.
日本語で読む
中国の画家・張僧繇が竜の絵に瞳を描き入れたところ、竜が天に昇ったという故事に由来する。日本語では「画竜点睛を欠く」（肝心な仕上げが足りない）の形でよく使われる。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

• Noun phrase for the essential finishing touch; often with “を欠く.”
日本語で読む
• 最後の肝心な仕上げを表し、「〜を欠く」と組み合わせることが多い。

Trap for English Speakers

The reading is がりょう, not がりゅう, and 睛 (pupil of the eye) is often miswritten as 晴.
日本語で読む
読みは「がりゅう」ではなく「がりょう」。また「睛（ひとみ）」を「晴」と書き間違えやすい。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. このスピーチは結論が弱く、画竜点睛を欠いている。

    This speech has a weak conclusion and lacks the finishing touch.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 変装は完璧だが、額当てを外し忘れては画竜点睛を欠く。

    The disguise is perfect, but forgetting to take off your headband ruins the finishing touch.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「画竜点睛」 mean?

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