拔苗助长

拔苗助長
bámiáo-zhùzhǎng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to pull seedlings up to help them grow
  2. 2 to ruin things through impatience
  3. 3 to spoil progress by trying to rush it

Examples

HSK 7-9
Jiàoyù háizi bùnéng bámiáo-zhùzhǎng, yào shùnqízìrán.
When raising children, don't force the growth, let things happen naturally.
HSK 7-9
Jíyúqiúchéng wǎngwǎng shì bámiáo-zhùzhǎng, shìyǔyuànwéi.
Rushing for results is often like pulling up the seedlings, the outcome backfires.
HSK 7-9
Tā tiāntiān gěi xiǎo gōngsī shīyā, jiǎnzhí shì bámiáo-zhùzhǎng.
He pressures the small company every day, he's literally yanking the seedlings out of the ground.

Tips

history
From 《孟子·公孙丑上》: a man from Song, frustrated his crops weren't growing fast enough, pulled each sprout up a bit. He went home boasting he'd 'helped them grow', and the next day they were all dead.
memory
Picture yanking up seedlings to make them taller. They're 'taller' for a moment, then they wilt. Perfect cautionary image.

Stroke Order

miáo
zhù
cháng