Chinese idiom · 成语
过犹不及
Meaning
Excess is as bad as shortfall; balance is key.
Character by character
Origin and story
Classical dialogueIn the Analects' Xian Jin chapter, Zigong asks whether Shi or Shang is better. These are the personal names of Zizhang and Zixia. Confucius says that Shi goes too far, while Shang falls short. Zigong then asks whether going farther makes Shi superior. Confucius answers with the exact four characters: overshooting is like failing to reach the mark.
The exchange rejects a simple equation between 'more' and 'better.' Its standard is what a situation properly requires. The idiom therefore warns against excess, but does not mean that every disagreement should be settled by splitting the difference or that ambition itself is undesirable.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
照片稍微调亮就好，修得太过反而失真，过犹不及。
Just brighten the photo a little; too much editing makes it look unnatural—too much is no better than too little.
Warns that excess can spoil an otherwise useful action.