意气用事

意氣用事

yìqì-yòngshì

idiom #30,686

Meanings

1 to act on impulse or emotion rather than reason
2 to let feelings dictate one's decisions

Characters

affairs; matters

Examples

做决定时不要意气用事。

Zuò juédìng shí bùyào yìqìyòngshì.

Don't let emotions drive your decisions.

他一时意气用事，说了很多后悔的话。

Tā yīshí yìqìyòngshì, shuō le hěnduō hòuhuǐ dehuà.

In a fit of emotion he said a lot of things he regretted.

成熟的领导不会意气用事。

Chéngshú de lǐngdǎo bùhuì yìqìyòngshì.

A mature leader doesn't act on impulse.

Tips

history

Found in Wu Jingzi's (吴敬梓) Qing novel 《儒林外史》 Chapter 46: '究竟还是意气用事，并不曾报效得朝廷' — 'in the end it was acting on temper, not truly serving the court.' Already a set criticism by the Qing era.

usage

Negative in tone — 'letting hot-headed feelings run the show.' 意气 here is closer to 'temper / pride / momentary passion' than 'spirit.' Common advice frame: 别/不要意气用事. Contrast with 三思而行 (think thrice before acting).

Stroke Order

意 yì

气 qì

用 yòng

事 shì