巧夺天工 (qiǎo duó tiān gōng) — (idiom) so skillfully made that it surpasses nature; exquisite craftsmanship
Definition
A chengyu praising human craftsmanship so skillful it outshines nature. Used for art, architecture, carving — not for natural scenery or for praising the person themselves.
idiom
so skillfully made that it surpasses natureexquisite craftsmanship
Examples
- 巧夺天工，。Zhè jiàn yù diāo zhēn shì qiǎo duó tiān gōng, ràng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ.This jade carving is truly surpassing nature; it leaves people in awe.
- 巧夺天工。Sū zhōu yuán lín de jiàn zhù yì shù kě shuō shì qiǎo duó tiān gōng.The architectural art of Suzhou gardens can be described as surpassing nature.
- 巧夺天工。Gù gōng lǐ de diāo kè zuò pǐn kān chēng qiǎo duó tiān gōng.The carved works inside the Forbidden City are worthy of being called surpassing nature.
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