📖 Meaning
To be impatient for success and focused on immediate gains. It describes someone who rushes for quick results and short-term profit, often at the expense of long-term planning or proper principles. The phrase carries a negative connotation, implying shortsightedness and recklessness.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Han dynasty scholar Dong Zhongshu, who wrote in his work 'Chunqiu Fanlu' (Luxuriant Gems of the Spring and Autumn Annals) that a benevolent person corrects the Way without scheming for profit, and cultivates principles without rushing for success. The expression later crystallized into the four-character idiom '急功近利', warning against the temptation of seeking quick achievements and immediate rewards rather than adhering to steady, principled conduct.
💡 Example Usage
做学问要脚踏实地，切忌急功近利。
In pursuing scholarship, one must be grounded and steadfast, and must never rush for quick results.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 急功近利
- Pinyin: jí gōng jìn lì
- Literal Translation: eager, success, near, profit
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4