意气用事

意氣用事

yìqìyòngshì

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 yì qì yòng shì.

Don't let emotions drive your decisions.

他一时意气用事，说了很多后悔的话。

Tā yīshí yì qì yòng shì, shuō le hěn duō hòuhuǐ de huà.

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 bù huì yì qì yòng shì.

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