過ぎたるは猶及ばざるがごとし

Japanese

Kanji in this term
過	猶	及
す Grade: 5	なお Grade: S	およ Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
過ぎたるはなお及ばざるがごとし

Etymology

Calque of Literary Chinese 過猶不及 (guòyóubùjí). Analyzable as 過(す)ぎたる (sugitaru, “perfective of 過(す)ぎる (sugiru, “too much”)”) + 猶(なお)…ごとし (nao…gotoshi, “just like”) + 及(およ)ばざる (oyobazaru, “adnominal negative of 及(およ)ぶ (oyobu), not enough”)

Proverb

過(す)ぎたるは猶(なお)及(およ)ばざるがごとし • (sugitaru wa nao oyobazaru ga gotoshi) ^{←すぎたるはなほおよばざるがごとし (sugitaru fa nafo oyobazaru ga gotosi)?}

1. too much of a good thing