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揠苗助长 (yà miáo-zhù zhǎng) — to force growth by pulling up seedlings — i.e., to act rashly and ruin things by being overeager

Definition

A chengyu from an ancient fable: literally 'pull up seedlings to help them grow' — used to criticize any hasty, overeager action that backfires by ruining what it tries to speed up.

phrase
to force growth by pulling up seedlings — i.e., to act rashly and ruin things by being overeager

Examples

  • 揠苗助长，。
    Xué xí bù néng yà miáo-zhù zhǎng, yào yí bù yí bù lái.
    You can't force learning; you have to take it step by step.
  • 揠苗助长。
    Tā nà zhǒng yà miáo-zhù zhǎng de zuò fǎ zhī huì ràng wèn tí gèng yán zhòng.
    That kind of hasty approach of his will only make the problem worse.
  • ，揠苗助长。
    Tóu zī yào nài xīn, qiè jì yà miáo-zhù zhǎng.
    Investing requires patience; be careful not to try to force quick gains.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
匽
匽yǎn揠yà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

揠 pairs 手 (hand) with 匽, which gives the sound yǎn.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

It is made from 艸 (grass) and 田 (field), showing plants in a field, which matches the meaning of a young plant or seedling.

Open 苗 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrong arm
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě助zhù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

助 pairs 力, a strong arm, with 且, which gives the sound; the meaning is help with strength.

Open 助 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Agriculture & FarmingIdioms & Set Phrases

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