Meaning and Usage
"揠苗助长" is an idiom that literally means "pulling up seedlings to help them grow." It is used metaphorically to describe the mistake of trying to speed up a process in a way that actually harms progress. This idiom warns against impatience and over-intervention.
Common Contexts
It is often used in education, management, and personal development contexts where rushing or forcing progress leads to negative outcomes.
Typical Collocations
- 揠苗助长的行为 (actions of rushing and spoiling progress)
- 不要揠苗助长 (don’t try to rush things)
- 揠苗助长的结果 (the result of rushing and spoiling)
Usage Notes
When using this idiom, speakers imply that patience and allowing natural development are better than forcing progress. It often carries a cautionary tone. Avoid confusing it with expressions that encourage quick success; this idiom criticizes such attempts.