急功近利

jígōngjìnlì

idiom #31,570

Meanings

1 eager for quick success and short-term gain (idiom)
2 shortsighted; chasing immediate profit

Characters

urgent; impatient

achievement; merit

near; immediate

benefit; profit

Examples

做学问最忌急功近利。

Zuò xuéwèn zuì jì jígōngjìnlì.

In scholarship, the worst thing is chasing quick results.

他太急功近利，结果把项目做砸了。

Tā tài jígōngjìnlì, jiéguǒ bǎ xiàngmù zuò zá le.

He was too eager for quick wins, and ended up botching the project.

教育孩子不能急功近利。

Jiàoyù háizi bùnéng jígōngjìnlì.

You can't raise children with a short-term mindset.

Tips

usage

Always negative — a criticism of impatience that sacrifices long-term quality for immediate payoff. Common in discussions of education, business, and policy.

history

Traced to the Han scholar 董仲舒's 《春秋繁露》: a virtuous person 正其道不谋其利 — pursues the Way without plotting for gain. 急功近利 describes the opposite character.

Stroke Order

急 jí

功 gōng

近 jìn

利 lì