欲速不达

Pronunciation: yù sù bù dá Literal meaning: Desire speed, not reach

Origin & Usage

Confucius, advising a newly appointed magistrate, told him not to want things quickly and not to be drawn by small advantages: 欲速则不达 — want (欲) speed (速) and you will not (不) arrive (达). The reasoning is administrative rather than moral, and it concerns a governor trying to show results early. The claim is causal rather than merely cautionary: the haste is the thing that prevents the arrival. Projects, learning, and anybody visibly cutting the stages short.

Examples

English: "Rushing the project caused more delays in the end."

Chinese: 赶工反而导致了更多延误，真是欲速不达。