好高骛远

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: hào gāo wù yuǎn
• English Translation: Aiming too high (unrealistically)
• Idiom Composition: 「好」（To like or have a preference for (read as 'hào' in this context)）＋「高」（High or lofty things）＋「骛」（To pursue or rush after）＋「远」（Distant or far-off goals）
• Meaning: To pursue unrealistic or overly ambitious goals without considering one's actual abilities or current situation. It is a critical term used to describe someone who neglects the basics in favor of chasing grand, unattainable achievements.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「好高骛远」 contains the following nuances:

• Unrealistic Ambition: The core of this idiom is not just having high aspirations, but the negative nuance of having ambitions that far exceed one's current capabilities.
• Neglecting the Basics: It refers to a shortcut-seeking mindset that dislikes mundane, foundational work in favor of trying to grasp success in one single leap.

3. Usage

「好高骛远」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Advice on work or study: Frequently used when advising students or new employees to master the basics before attempting complex tasks.
  • Example:「年轻人创业要脚踏实地，千万不能好高骛远。」
    （When young people start a business, they should keep their feet on the ground and never aim too high while ignoring reality.)
• Analyzing failure: Used to point out that a plan failed because the initial goals were detached from reality.
  • Example:「这个项目失败的原因在于由于好高骛远，忽视了市场调研。」
    （The reason this project failed is that they aimed too high and neglected market research.)

Additional Examples:

1. 学习外语没有捷径，好高骛远只会让你半途而废。
   （There are no shortcuts to learning a foreign language; aiming too high will only lead to giving up halfway.）
2. 他总是好高骛远，想做大事，却连小事都做不好。
   （He always aims too high and wants to do big things, but he can't even handle the small tasks properly.）
3. 制定计划时要切合实际，不要好高骛远。
   （When making a plan, you must be realistic and not reach for the stars with unattainable goals.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Source: This idiom originates from the History of Song (宋史), specifically in the biography of the philosopher Cheng Hao (程顥). It describes scholars who 'dislike the humble and near, while rushing toward the high and far.'
• Confucian Values: In traditional Chinese education, values such as 循序渐进 (xún xù jiàn jìn), meaning 'proceeding step-by-step,' and 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì), meaning 'keeping one's feet on solid ground,' are highly esteemed. Therefore, skipping the basics is often viewed as a lack of moral self-cultivation.
• Common Orthography Error: The character 骛 (wù), meaning 'to pursue,' is frequently confused with the similar-looking 鹜 (wù), which means 'duck.' Even native speakers often make this mistake, but the version with the 'horse' radical (马) is the correct one for this idiom.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 眼高手低 (yǎn gāo shǒu dī): Literally 'high eyes, low hands'; having high standards or grand ideas but lacking the actual skill to execute them.
  • 急功近利 (jí gōng jìn lì): Eager for quick success and instant benefits; being short-sighted in the pursuit of results.
  • 不切实际 (bù qiè shí jì): Unrealistic; impractical.link
  • 异想天开 (yì xiǎng tiān kāi): To indulge in a fantastic or whimsical idea.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì): To have one's feet on solid ground; to be down-to-earth and do things steadily.link
  • 循序渐进 (xún xù jiàn jìn): To follow the proper order and progress step-by-step.link
  • 实事求是 (shí shì qiú shì): Seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic.link

6. Summary

好高骛远 (hào gāo wù yuǎn) is an idiom used to criticize the pursuit of unrealistic goals. It serves as a warning to focus on the fundamentals rather than seeking immediate, grand success without a solid foundation. It is frequently used in both formal writing and daily conversation to advise people to stay grounded.