mei6 hok6 haang4 sin1 hok6 zau2未學行先學走未学行先学走

Jyutpingmei6 hok6 haang4 sin1 hok6 zau2

Yalemeih hohk hàahng sīn hohk jáu

語句

Definition

To try to run before one can walk; to be too impatient and attempt advanced things before mastering the basics.

colloquialdaily actionsschool

How it's used

This idiom is a sharp critique of someone who skips foundational steps in favor of advanced tasks. It carries a tone of impatience or unrealistic ambition. While it shares the same meaning as the English idiom about walking before running, the Cantonese version specifically emphasizes the sequence of learning skills.

Examples

nei5你mei6未hok6學haang4行sin1先hok6學zau2走，gei1基bun2本gung1功dou1都mei6未lin6練hou2好zau6就soeng2想biu2表jin2演？

You are trying to run before you can walk; how can you perform when you haven't even mastered the basics?

keoi5佢lin4連zi6字dou1都mei6未sik1識se2寫zau6就soeng2想hok6學se2寫si1詩，zan1真hai6係mei6未hok6學haang4行sin1先hok6學zau2走。

He wants to write poetry before he even knows how to write characters; he's really putting the cart before the horse.

Common phrases

mei6未hok6學haang4行sin1先hok6學zau2走

to run before one can walk

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with similar idioms that focus on failure or waste, as this phrase specifically highlights the lack of logical progression in learning or development.