Chinese word

拔苗助长

Pronunciation

Pinyinbá miáo zhù zhǎng

Meaning

  • idiomrush things and ruin them

Example

别拔苗助长，慢慢来。bié bá miáo zhù zhǎng màn màn lái

Don't rush things and ruin them; take it slowly.

Illustration for 拔苗助长 (rush things and ruin them)

More examples

在学习新技能时，不要拔苗助长，否则容易半途而废。zài xué xí xīn jì néng shí bú yào bá miáo zhù zhǎng fǒu zé róng yì bàn tú ér fèi

When learning a new skill, don't rush things and ruin them; otherwise, you may easily give up halfway.

Core concept

A growing process is pulled forward by force until the very thing being helped is damaged.

Common phrases

  • 不要拔苗助长bú yào bá miáo zhù zhǎng

    don't rush things and ruin them

  • 拔苗助长的后果bá miáo zhù zhǎng de hòu guǒ

    the consequences of rushing things and ruining them

Similar words

急于求成jí yú qiú chéng: Trying to get results quickly by skipping necessary steps or allowing too little time.
欲速则不达yù sù zé bù dá: Expresses the lesson that hurrying can keep a goal from being reached.
急功近利jí gōng jìn lì: Pursuing quick success or short-term gains instead of lasting results.
操之过急cāo zhī guò jí: Handling a matter too hastily and causing mistakes.

Definition in Chinese

指因操之过急或过分干预他人或事情的发展，反而破坏过程或造成损失的行为或结果。zhǐ yīn cāo zhī guò jí huò guò fèn gān yù tā rén huò shì qíng de fā zhǎn fǎn ér pò huài guò chéng huò zào chéng sǔn shī de xíng wéi huò jié guǒ

Word origin

The idiom combines 拔 (bá, "pull out") + 苗 (miáo, "seedling") + 助 (zhù, "help") + 长 (zhǎng, "grow") and comes from a Mencius story in which a farmer pulls seedlings upward and they wither.

Usage tips

  • Unlike the English word "help," this idiom usually signals that the helper's involvement has crossed a harmful line, making it useful for discussing advice, teaching, or care.

Other meanings

  • overhelp and make things worseidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word