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欲速则不达

欲速則不達
yùsùzébùdá
idiom #44,395

Meanings

  1. 1 haste does not get you there
  2. 2 the more you rush, the less you accomplish / haste makes waste

Examples

学语言欲速则不达，要有耐心。
Xué yǔyán yù sù zé bù dá, yào yǒu nàixīn.
When learning a language, haste gets you nowhere — you need patience.
改革欲速则不达，必须稳扎稳打。
Gǎigé yù sù zé bù dá, bìxū wěn zhā wěn dǎ.
Reform can't be rushed — it must proceed steadily and solidly.

Tips

history
From the Analects (《论语·子路》): when Zixia became governor of Jufu and asked about governing, Confucius answered: 无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成 — 'Do not rush; do not fixate on small gains. Haste gets you nowhere; fixation on small gains prevents big achievements.'
usage
A very common rhetorical warning in editorials, parenting advice, and self-help. Often paired with 稳扎稳打 (steady and solid) or 循序渐进 (step by step).
memory
Parse as 欲 (want) + 速 (fast) + 则 (then) + 不达 (not reach): 'wanting fast, then not arriving.'

Stroke Order

欲 yù
速 sù
则 zé
不 bù
达 dá