諺語 · a single proverb
過猶不及
What does 過猶不及 (guò yóu bù jí) mean?
過猶不及 (guò yóu bù jí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "going too far is same as not reaching." In use it means: Going too far is as bad as not going far enough; excess is as problematic as deficiency. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "going too far is same as not reaching."
The reading
The salt that perfects the dish and the salt that ruins it are the same salt; only the amount differs. What distinguishes the master is not abundance of any quality but the precision of its application. Enough is not the same as more, and the space between them is exactly where the art lives.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects of Confucius 論語·先進 (Xiān Jìn XI)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 過猶不及 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 過猶不及 (guò yóu bù jí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Analects of Confucius 論語·先進 (Xiān Jìn XI). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 過猶不及?
In Mandarin it is guò yóu bù jí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 過猶不及 aloud in Mandarin.