jíyú qiúchéng: 急于求成 - Overly Anxious for Success, Impatient for Results

• Keywords: 急于求成, jiyuqiuqcheng, jiyuqiucheng, Chinese idiom for rushing, impatient for success, haste makes waste, Chinese chengyu, learn Chinese, Chinese idiom, anxious for results, rush job meaning, cutting corners
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 急于求成 (jíyú qiúchéng), a common Chinese idiom (chengyu) that warns against being too impatient for success. This page breaks down the characters, cultural context, and practical usage of this term, which describes the negative tendency to rush towards a goal, often by cutting corners and leading to poor results. Understanding 急于求成 is key to grasping the Chinese cultural emphasis on patience, perseverance, and building a solid foundation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jíyú qiúchéng
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (Idiom)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To be overly anxious to achieve success, leading one to act rashly.
• In a Nutshell: 急于求成 is a four-character warning label for impatience. It describes a mindset where you want to reach the finish line so badly that you skip crucial steps. Think of it as trying to bake a cake by turning the oven to the highest temperature, hoping it will cook in 10 minutes instead of an hour—you'll just end up with a burnt, gooey mess. The term is almost always used as a criticism, highlighting that true, lasting success requires a methodical and patient approach.

• 急 (jí): Anxious, hurried, urgent. This character often depicts a feeling of being constrained or pressed, leading to a sense of urgency and impatience.
• 于 (yú): A versatile preposition meaning “in,” “at,” or “for.” Here, it connects the state of being “anxious” to the goal. It functions like “in the state of being…” or “for the purpose of…”
• 求 (qiú): To seek, to pursue, to request. This character implies an active chase or desire for something.
• 成 (chéng): To succeed, to accomplish, to become, completion.

When combined, 急 (jí) 于 (yú) 求 (qiú) 成 (chéng) literally translates to “anxious in seeking success.” The characters paint a vivid picture of a person whose state of mind (`急于`) is completely consumed by the pursuit of an outcome (`求成`), to the point where it becomes a flaw.

The idiom 急于求成 taps directly into deep-seated Chinese cultural values that prize patience, perseverance, and methodical effort. It stands in contrast to the “move fast and break things” ethos sometimes celebrated in Western startup culture. In Chinese thought, mastery and achievement—whether in calligraphy, martial arts (`功夫 gōngfu`), or building a business—are seen as the result of a long, deliberate process. The concept of 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì), or “having one's feet firmly on the ground,” is the cultural antidote to 急于求成. A good Western parallel is the proverb “Haste makes waste.” However, 急于求成 is more specific. It focuses not just on the action of rushing, but on the psychological state of being anxious (`急`) for a specific outcome—success (`成`). It carries a stronger judgment about a person's character and their shortsighted ambition, rather than just being a comment on a poorly executed task. It warns that an obsession with the destination will make you ruin the journey and, ultimately, never arrive.

急于求成 is a very common idiom used to criticize a person, a plan, or an approach that is deemed too hasty. Its connotation is almost exclusively negative.

• In Education: It's frequently used by parents and teachers. A parent might be accused of being 急于求成 if they push their child to learn piano, English, and coding all at once, expecting immediate results. A student who only crams for exams without understanding the material is also 急于求成.
• In Business: A company that launches a half-finished product to beat a competitor to market is a classic example of 急于求成. This behavior is seen as sacrificing long-term reputation and quality for short-term gains.
• In Personal Development: You might use this term to describe a friend who gives up on learning the guitar after two weeks because they're not a rock star yet. It applies to dieting, fitness, and any skill that requires a long-term commitment.
• As Self-Criticism: People often use it to reflect on their own past mistakes, e.g., “Looking back, I was too 急于求成 in my first job.”

• Example 1:
  • 学习语言不能急于求成，要一步一个脚印。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxí yǔyán bùnéng jíyú qiúchéng, yào yībù yīgè jiǎoyìn.
  • English: You can't be impatient for success when learning a language; you have to take it one step at a time.
  • Analysis: This is classic advice given to language learners. It uses 急于求成 as a direct warning against a common pitfall.
• Example 2:
  • 他们为了赶上最后期限，急于求成，结果产品漏洞百出。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen wèile gǎnshàng zuìhòu qīxiàn, jíyú qiúchéng, jiéguǒ chǎnpǐn lòudòng bǎi chū.
  • English: In their impatience to meet the deadline, they rushed the job, and as a result, the product was full of flaws.
  • Analysis: A perfect example from a business context, showing the direct negative consequences of this mindset.
• Example 3:
  • 你对孩子别太苛刻了，他才五岁，你有点急于求成。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ duì háizi bié tài kēkè le, tā cái wǔ suì, nǐ yǒudiǎn jíyú qiúchéng.
  • English: Don't be so hard on your child, he's only five. You're being a bit too impatient for him to succeed.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term is used in parenting to criticize unrealistic expectations.
• Example 4:
  • 很多年轻人急于求成，希望能一夜暴富。
  • Pinyin: Hěnduō niánqīng rén jíyú qiúchéng, xīwàng néng yīyè bàofù.
  • English: Many young people are anxious to succeed quickly, hoping to get rich overnight.
  • Analysis: This sentence connects 急于求成 with the modern desire for instant wealth and fame.
• Example 5:
  • 我承认我过去有点急于求成，现在我懂得了耐心的重要性。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ chéngrèn wǒ guòqù yǒudiǎn jíyú qiúchéng, xiànzài wǒ dǒngdéle nàixīn de zhòngyào xìng.
  • English: I admit I used to be a bit too impatient for results, but now I understand the importance of patience.
  • Analysis: A great example of using the term for self-reflection and acknowledging personal growth.
• Example 6:
  • 这个项目很重要，我们不能急于求成，必须保证质量。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù hěn zhòngyào, wǒmen bùnéng jíyú qiúchéng, bìxū bǎozhèng zhìliàng.
  • English: This project is very important. We cannot rush it for the sake of quick results; we must guarantee quality.
  • Analysis: Used as a strategic warning in a professional setting to prioritize quality over speed.
• Example 7:
  • 任何急于求成的想法在科学研究中都是不可取的。
  • Pinyin: Rènhé jíyú qiúchéng de xiǎngfǎ zài kēxué yánjiū zhōng dōu shì bùkě qǔ de.
  • English: Any thought of rushing to get results is undesirable in scientific research.
  • Analysis: Here, 急于求成 is used as an adjective modifying “想法” (xiǎngfǎ, idea/thought), showing its grammatical flexibility.
• Example 8:
  • 减肥需要时间和毅力，急于求成只会损害你的健康。
  • Pinyin: Jiǎnféi xūyào shíjiān hé yìlì, jíyú qiúchéng zhǐ huì sǔnhài nǐ de jiànkāng.
  • English: Losing weight requires time and perseverance; being impatient for results will only harm your health.
  • Analysis: A common piece of advice in the context of health and fitness.
• Example 9:
  • 他在投资上急于求成，结果赔了很多钱。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài tóuzī shàng jíyú qiúchéng, jiéguǒ péile hěnduō qián.
  • English: He was too impatient for success in his investments, and as a result, he lost a lot of money.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the high stakes of this flawed mindset in a financial context.
• Example 10:
  • 做事要踏实，别总想着急于求成。
  • Pinyin: Zuòshì yào tàshí, bié zǒng xiǎngzhe jíyú qiúchéng.
  • English: You need to be down-to-earth when you do things; don't always be thinking about getting quick results.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct piece of advice contrasting a good work ethic (`踏实 tàshí`) with the negative one.

• Don't Confuse with Ambition: The most common mistake for English speakers is to confuse 急于求成 with being “ambitious” or “driven.” In English, “eager to succeed” is often a positive trait. In Chinese, 急于求成 is not. It specifically implies that the eagerness has crossed a line into counter-productive impatience. A positive word for “ambitious” is 雄心勃勃 (xióngxīn bóbó).
  • Incorrect: 他很有才华，也总是急于求成。(He's very talented and always eager to succeed.) This sounds like a compliment in English, but in Chinese, it's a criticism that means his talent is undermined by his reckless impatience.
  • Correct: 他很有才华，也雄心勃勃。(He's very talented and also very ambitious.) This is a clear compliment.
• It is Always Negative: There is no situation where 急于求成 is used as a compliment. It is always a criticism or a warning. It implies a lack of foresight, patience, and respect for the process.

• 欲速则不达 (yù sù zé bù dá): A proverb that means “More haste, less speed” or “Haste makes waste.” It's the perfect philosophical companion to 急于求成, explaining the outcome of such an attitude.
• 拔苗助长 (bá miáo zhù zhǎng): A famous chengyu meaning “to pull up seedlings to help them grow.” It comes from a fable about a farmer who, impatient for his crops to grow, pulled on them, killing them all. It's a vivid, story-based synonym for the folly of 急于求成.
• 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì): The direct antonym. It means “to have one's feet planted firmly on the ground” and describes a practical, steady, and reliable approach to work and life.
• 一步一个脚印 (yī bù yī ge jiǎoyìn): A conceptual antonym meaning “one step, one footprint.” It describes the ideal process: careful, methodical, and deliberate. This is the cure for being 急于求成.
• 好高骛远 (hàogāo wùyuǎn): A similar negative idiom meaning “to aim too high” or “to have grandiose ambitions without a realistic plan.” Someone who is 好高骛远 is very likely to become 急于求成 in their attempt to bridge the gap between their lofty goals and their actual abilities.
• 耐心 (nàixīn): The noun for “patience.” This is the core quality that a person who is 急于求成 lacks.
• 循序渐进 (xún xù jiàn jìn): “To follow in order and advance step-by-step.” This chengyu describes the proper, methodical process that is the opposite of 急于求成.