点てん睛せい

noun

adding the finishing touches to a painting; dotting the eyes (of a painted animal)

Refers specifically to the final, vital touches that bring a painting to life, especially adding eyes. Almost exclusively used in the idiom 画竜点睛 (がりょうてんせい) or the derived phrase 点睛を欠く (てんせいをかく), meaning 'to lack the finishing touch'.

• 「画が竜りょう点てん睛せい」とは、最さい後ごの大たい切せつな仕し上あげのことを指さす。

  画竜点睛 refers to the crucial final touch that completes a work.

• 彼かれの論ろん文ぶんは内ない容ようは良よいが、結けつ論ろんが不ふ十じゅう分ぶんで点てん睛せいを欠かいている。

  His paper has good content, but the conclusion is insufficient and lacks the finishing touch.