A Chinese saying about patience and haste
What Chinese saying warns that haste can prevent success?
A source-linked answer
欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。
A plain-English sense
Desire for speed and you may not arrive; chase small gains and the larger work may not be completed.
What the line means
The sentence links impatience with distorted attention. Moving quickly is not condemned; the warning concerns speed that damages direction and short-term gain that displaces the real task.
Where it comes from
In the Analects, the advice is given in a discussion of public administration. Modern uses often generalise it to study, craft, business, and long projects.
Read the source text for Analects · Zi Lu →
When this saying fits
- A shortcut threatens accuracy or trust.
- Small metrics are distracting from the actual objective.
- A long project needs a sustainable pace.
Try it with an everyday sentence
These are examples of the kind of modern thought that can lead toward this older image:
- “Rushing this review would create more work later.”
- “The quick win is tempting, but it does not move the main goal forward.”
Find a classical echo for your sentence →
New to the tool? See real examples and how matching works.
Related Chinese sayings
The English wording explains a cultural image rather than replacing the source text. Source and page reviewed 23 September 2026.