画竜点睛を欠く · godan verb (-ku)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 画竜点睛を欠く | 画竜点睛を欠かない |
| Polite | 画竜点睛を欠きます | 画竜点睛を欠きません |
| Past polite | 画竜点睛を欠きました | 画竜点睛を欠きませんでした |
| Past | 画竜点睛を欠いた | 画竜点睛を欠かなかった |
| Te-form | 画竜点睛を欠いて | 画竜点睛を欠かないで |
| Desire | 画竜点睛を欠きたい | 画竜点睛を欠きたくない |
| Potential | 画竜点睛を欠ける | 画竜点睛を欠けない |
| Passive | 画竜点睛を欠かれる | 画竜点睛を欠かれない |
| Causative | 画竜点睛を欠かせる | 画竜点睛を欠かせない |
| Causative passive | 画竜点睛を欠かせられるalso 画竜点睛を欠かされる | 画竜点睛を欠かせられないalso 画竜点睛を欠かされない |
| Volitional | 画竜点睛を欠こう | |
| Polite volitional | 画竜点睛を欠きましょう | |
| Imperative | 画竜点睛を欠け | 画竜点睛を欠くな |
| Conditional | 画竜点睛を欠けば | 画竜点睛を欠かなければ |
| Tara conditional | 画竜点睛を欠いたら | 画竜点睛を欠かなかったら |
to lack the finishing touch; to be incomplete despite near perfection
Idiomatic expression derived from the Chinese story of a painter who added pupils to a dragon painting and brought it to life. Used when something is almost perfect but misses a crucial final detail.
See also: 画竜点睛 (がりょうてんせい)
His plan is well thought out, but the fundraising outlook is weak, so it lacks the finishing touch.
This cake tastes perfect, but the decoration is plain, so it's missing that final touch.