How to Read “蛇足”
Dasoku
Meaning of “蛇足”
“Snake foot” means adding something unnecessary, which instead damages the overall value or completeness.
It refers to the act of adding superfluous elements to something that was originally sufficiently complete or appropriate. This word carries nuances of “going too far” or “unnecessary meddling.” It’s particularly used in situations where someone added something with good intentions, but it backfired.
Typical examples include adding too many unnecessary modifiers when writing, ruining a completed work by adding more to it, or confusing someone by adding unnecessary supplementary explanations to an appropriate explanation. The reason for using this expression is to warn against the human tendency to lose sight of the essence in pursuit of perfection.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Snake foot” lies in a story from the ancient Chinese text “Strategies of the Warring States” about the state of Chu. This story is very famous and continues to be beloved by many people.
Long ago, there was a man in the state of Chu who received a jar of wine. However, while the wine was sufficient for one person to drink, it was too little to share among many. So his companions proposed a contest: “Let’s draw snakes on the ground, and whoever finishes first gets to drink all the wine.”
One man finished drawing his snake faster than the others. Confident of victory, he said leisurely, “I still have time, so I’ll draw legs too,” and added legs to his snake. However, during that time, another man completed his snake and argued, “Snakes don’t have legs. The moment you drew legs, it was no longer a snake,” and took the wine away.
This story was transmitted to Japan and became established as the word “Snake foot.” It has been passed down through generations as a lesson warning against the foolishness of adding unnecessary elements to something that was originally perfect.
Interesting Facts
Did you know that snakes actually have traces of legs? Primitive snake species like pythons and boas retain small protrusions called “spurs,” which are remnants of hind limbs. It’s unclear whether ancient Chinese people knew this fact, but from our modern perspective, it’s an interesting coincidence.
The expression “Snake foot” appears in Japanese literature from the Heian period, showing it has been used for quite a long time. The reason it has been beloved for so long may be that the human tendency to “go too far” is universal across time periods.
Usage Examples
- The presentation was perfect, but that unnecessary final comment was a snake foot
- Adding another dish to that beautifully finished meal would be a snake foot
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the concept of “Snake foot” has taken on even greater importance. In this age of information overload, there are increasingly more situations where what you remove, rather than what you add, determines value.
Consider social media posts. You might write a perfect message, but then add excessive hashtags or unnecessary supplementary explanations, making it harder to understand. Similarly, when creating materials with presentation software, it’s not uncommon for excessive use of animations and decorations to prevent the essential content from being conveyed.
In the business world, “Snake foot” is also a major problem. Many people have experienced how elements are added one after another to high-quality project proposals for “just in case” reasons from supervisors or colleagues, ultimately blurring the focus.
On the other hand, modern culture constantly demands “updates” and “improvements.” Therefore, the ability to distinguish between truly necessary improvements and “snake foot”-like additions has become more important than ever. Precisely because we live in an era where perfectionism can easily backfire, understanding the “aesthetics of subtraction” becomes the key to success.
When AI Hears This
The “decline in judgment due to overconfidence in victory” depicted in the wine competition from the *Zhanguoce* is exactly what modern psychology calls “overconfidence bias.” When the man who finished drawing the snake first decided he could “add feet too,” this unnecessary embellishment resulted from dopamine flooding his brain the moment victory seemed certain, dulling his ability to assess risk.
This phenomenon is frequently observed in modern presentation culture. When presenters sense a positive audience response, they tend to exceed their allotted time, adding “just one more example” or “a supplementary explanation.” Psychological research shows that people experiencing success are prone to the illusion that they “can do even better,” causing them to lose sight of the appropriate moment to stop.
What’s particularly fascinating is that this failure pattern tends to ensnare highly capable individuals more often. Both the man who drew the snake first and presenters who get carried away have solid fundamental abilities. However, the perception of “having room to spare” paradoxically causes them to abandon caution.
The human psychology of “self-destruction through complacency on the verge of victory” that ancient Chinese observers identified 2,000 years ago continues to repeat itself unchanged in modern business settings. While technology advances, human cognitive biases remain universal.
Lessons for Today
“Snake foot” teaches us about “the balance between the desire to seek perfection and the courage to stop.” The feeling of “wanting to make it better” that many modern people have is not a bad thing at all. Rather, that drive for improvement is the very force that makes us grow.
What’s important is developing the sense to discern when to stop. Whether in works, human relationships, or work, we need the ability to find the point where “this is enough.” If you tend to fall into perfectionism, sometimes step back and look at the whole picture.
We should also be tolerant of others’ “snake foot.” Behind unnecessary words or excessive kindness, there are usually feelings of caring for others. Rather than blaming the results, it would be wonderful if we could understand those feelings and build relationships where we can learn from each other.
Rather than doing nothing for fear of “snake foot,” it’s also important to have the courage to sometimes take a step forward, prepared for failure. And the lessons learned from failure are what will enrich your life.
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