新松恨不高千尺

xīn sōng hèn bù gāo qiān chǐ
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 the young pine resents that it is not yet a thousand feet tall
  2. 2 impatience for one's protégés or ideals to reach full stature
  3. 3 lit. the new pine hates that it is not tall by a thousand feet

Examples

HSK 7-9
Lǎoshī péiyǎng xuéshēng shí, chángyǒu xīnsōnghènbùgāoqiānchǐ zhī gǎn.
In cultivating students, teachers often feel "the young pine resents that it is not already a thousand feet tall".
HSK 7-9
Xīnsōnghènbùgāoqiānchǐ, èzhúyīngxūzhǎnwàngān.
The young pine resents it is not yet a thousand feet; the vicious bamboo ought to be cut down by the ten thousand.

Tips

history
From 杜甫's (Tang dynasty) 《将赴成都草堂途中有作,先寄严郑公五首》 its fourth: 新松恨不高千尺恶竹应须斩万竿 - 'The young pine resents it is not yet a thousand feet tall; the vicious bamboo ought to be cut down by the ten thousand.' The pine stands for worthy talent deserving quick growth; the bamboo, for rank weeds of corruption.
usage
Almost always quoted together with 恶竹应须斩万竿 - the paired wish: promote the worthy fast, cut down the corrupt en masse. here means 'to regret / resent' (not 'hate'), a classical usage.

Stroke Order

xīn
sōng
hèn
gāo
qiān
chǐ