畫虎不成反類狗

First attested in c. 44 CE, in a letter by Ma Yuan to his nephews Ma Yan and Ma Dun:

效季良不得，陷為天下輕薄子，所謂畫虎不成反類狗者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
效季良不得，陷为天下轻薄子，所谓画虎不成反类狗者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: c. 44 CE, 馬援,《誡兄子嚴敦書》, translation based on Hans Fränkel's version

Xiào Jìliáng bùdé, xiàn wéi tiānxià qīngbó zǐ, suǒwèi huà hǔ bùchéng fǎn lèi gǒu zhě yě. [Pinyin]

If you try to model yourselves after Du Jiliang and fail, you will have the misfortune of sinking to the level of notorious playboys, as somebody has said: “If you try to paint a tiger and fail, the picture will look like a dog.”

Later popularized by Cao Zhi in his famous letter to Yang Xiu:

以孔璋之才，不閑於辭賦，而多自謂能與司馬長卿同風，譬畫虎不成反爲狗者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
以孔璋之才，不闲于辞赋，而多自谓能与司马长卿同风，譬画虎不成反为狗者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: c. 217, 曹植,《與楊德祖書》, translation based on Richard M. W. Ho's version

Yǐ Kǒngzhāng zhī cái, bù xián yú cífù, ér duō zì wèi néng yǔ Sīmǎ Chángqīng tóngfēng, pì huà hǔ bùchéng fǎn wéi gǒu zhě yě. [Pinyin]

Kongzhang [the courtesy name of Chen Lin], despite his talent, is not adroit in rhyme-prose. He, however, often likens his style to that of Sima Xiangru [courtesy name Changqing]. This is like drawing a tiger so badly that it resembles a dog.

畫虎不成反類狗

1. synonym of 畫虎不成反類犬 / 画虎不成反类犬 (huà hǔ bùchéng fǎn lèi quǎn)