治丝益棼

Traditional: 治絲益棼

zhì sī yì fén

Dictionary entry

lit. try to straighten out silk threads only to tangle them further (idiom)

What does 治丝益棼 mean?

治丝益棼 (zhì sī yì fén) has the following dictionary meaning.

1lit. try to straighten out silk threads only to tangle them further (idiom)

2fig. to try to help but end up making things worse

Character breakdown

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治zhìto rule · to govern 丝sīsilk · thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips 益Yìsurname Yi 棼fénbeams in roof · confused

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How to pronounce 治丝益棼

治丝益棼

zhì sī yì fén

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Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.