bá拔pullmiáo苗seedlingzhù助helpzhǎng长grow
Pulling seedlings to help them grow — ruining things by trying to rush.
Literal meaning
pull (拔) — seedling (苗) — help (助) — grow (长)
Origin
Mencius (《孟子·公孙丑上》). A farmer in the state of Song, frustrated that his rice seedlings were growing slowly, pulled each one a little higher to "help" them. By evening he was exhausted. The next day all his seedlings were dead. Mencius used this to mock impatient interference in natural processes.
Examples
Jiào教yù育hái孩zi子bù不néng能bá拔miáo苗zhù助zhǎng长。
You can't rush children's development.
Bá miáo zhù zhǎng, fǎn'ér huài shì.拔苗助长，反而坏事。
Rushing it only makes things worse.
Usage & nuances
Critical tone. Especially common in parenting and management contexts.
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