ProverbWisdomJapanese origin

過ぎたるは猶及ばざるが如し (Sugitaru wa nao oyobazaru ga gotoshi)

Meaning: Overdoing something is as bad as not doing enough.

Literally: Going too far is just like falling short

Example: “筋トレも過ぎたるは猶及ばざるが如しで、やりすぎると体を壊す。” — Exercise too: too much of a good thing will wear you out.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and 2 more languages

  • English: Too much liberty spoils all.
  • French: Trop de zèle gâte tout (literally: Too much zeal spoils all)
  • Spanish: Ni tanto ni tan calvo (literally: Neither so much nor so bald (avoid both extremes))
  • German: Allzu viel ist ungesund (literally: Too much is unhealthy)
  • Italian: Il troppo stroppia (literally: Too much cripples)
  • Polish: Co za dużo, to niezdrowo (literally: Too much is unhealthy)
  • Chinese: 过犹不及 (Guò yóu bù jí) (literally: Going too far is as bad as falling short)

Origin: Confucius in the Analects (11.16), comparing two disciples, one who went too far and one who fell short: going too far is just like falling short.

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