过犹不及 (guò yóu bù jí) — going too far is as bad as not going far enough; excess is just as bad as deficiency
Definition
A chengyu warning that extremes backfire: doing too much is no better than doing too little. Use it to advise moderation.
idiom
going too far is as bad as not going far enoughexcess is just as bad as deficiency
Examples
- ，过犹不及。Zuò shì yào bǎ wò hǎo fēn cùn, guò yóu bù jí.When doing things, you need to keep the right measure — going too far is as bad as not going far enough.
- ，，过犹不及。Tā měi tiān xué xí shí jǐ gè xiǎo shí, jié guǒ shēng bìng le, zhēn shì guò yóu bù jí.He studied over ten hours every day and ended up getting sick — truly, going too far is as bad as not going far enough.
- ，过犹不及。Duàn liàn shēn tǐ yě yào shì dù, guò yóu bù jí fǎn ér yǒu hài.Even exercise should be moderate — going too far is as bad as not going far enough, and it can actually be harmful.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.