# 拔苗助长

bá miáo zhù zhǎng

Hurt progress by trying to rush it

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Pull up seedlings to help them grow

**Traditional Chinese:** 拔苗助長

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Use for intervention that damages a process by forcing it too quickly.

The attempt to help must be counterproductive.

## Behind the words

Mencius tells of a farmer who pulls up his seedlings to speed their growth. They wither instead. Good intentions cannot replace natural development.

Pulling a seedling upward changes its visible position but damages the conditions that allow it to grow. The image distinguishes genuine development from forcing the appearance of progress. It fits education, training, and organizations when pressure skips necessary stages. The criticism is not directed at ambition itself, but at intervention that harms the process it is supposed to help.

## Examples

孩子刚开始学琴，要求太高容易拔苗助长。

### Traditional Chinese

孩子剛開始學琴，要求太高容易拔苗助長。

hái zi gāng kāi shǐ xué qín ， yāo qiú tài gāo róng yì bá miáo zhù zhǎng 。

The child has only just started piano; setting expectations too high can do more harm than good.

每天给孩子安排六门课，可能是拔苗助长。

### Traditional Chinese

每天給孩子安排六門課，可能是拔苗助長。

měi tiān gěi hái zi ān pái liù mén kè ， kě néng shì bá miáo zhù zhǎng 。

Scheduling six classes every day for a child may harm development by rushing it.

没有打好基础就练高难度动作，容易拔苗助长。

### Traditional Chinese

沒有打好基礎就練高難度動作，容易拔苗助長。

méi yǒu dǎ hǎo jī chǔ jiù liàn gāo nán dù dòng zuò ， róng yì bá miáo zhù zhǎng 。

Attempting difficult movements before mastering the basics can undermine progress.

团队还没准备好就强行扩张，反而拔苗助长。

### Traditional Chinese

團隊還沒準備好就強行擴張，反而拔苗助長。

tuán duì hái méi zhǔn bèi hǎo jiù qiáng xíng kuò zhāng ， fǎn ér bá miáo zhù zhǎng 。

Forcing expansion before the team is ready may damage the growth you hoped to achieve.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=26347&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%8B%94%E8%8B%97%E5%8A%A9%E9%95%B7)

## Keep exploring

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- [半途而废 bàn tú ér fèi Give up halfway through ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ban-tu-er-fei)

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