過猶不及
Chinese
to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker) to cross; to go over; (experienced action marker); to pass; to celebrate; to live; to get along; excessively; too- | as if; still | to not do something in time; to be too late; to not reach | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (過猶不及) | 過 | 猶 | 不及 | |
simp. (过犹不及) | 过 | 犹 | 不及 |
Etymology
From the Analects:
- 子貢問:「師與商也孰賢?」子曰:「師也過,商也不及。」曰:「然則師愈與?」子曰:「過猶不及。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zǐgòng wèn: “Shī yǔ Shāng yě shú xián?” Zǐ yuē: “Shī yě guò, Shāng yě bùjí.” Yuē: “Ránzé Shī yù yú?” Zǐ yuē: “Guò yóu bùjí.” [Pinyin]
- Zi Gong asked which of the two, Shi or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, "Shi goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it." "Then," said Zi Gong, "the superiority is with Shi, I suppose." The Master said, "To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short."
子贡问:“师与商也孰贤?”子曰:“师也过,商也不及。”曰:“然则师愈与?”子曰:“过犹不及。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
過猶不及
- doing too much is just as bad as not doing enough
Related terms
- 矯枉過正/矫枉过正 (jiǎowǎngguòzhèng)