too much is as bad as too little; the last drop makes the cup run over
A classical proverb warning that excess can be just as harmful as deficiency. Often used to caution against overdoing something, even if it is good in moderation. The phrasing is literary and somewhat formal.
As the saying goes, 'too much is as bad as too little' — even studying too hard can ruin your health.
Even kindness, when taken too far, becomes a case of 'too much of a good thing.'
A slightly shortened variant without 猶/なお; same meaning but less common in modern usage.
Refers to the Confucian concept of the golden mean; a more formal and philosophical term for moderation, while the headword is a proverbial expression.
Classical kanji form using 猶 and 如し; the most traditional written form of the proverb.
Modernized spelling with なお in kana; common in contemporary texts.
Fully modernized spelling with ごとし in kana; often used in explanatory contexts.
A Japanese rendering of a classical Chinese proverb from the Analects of Confucius (過猶不及). The phrase was adapted into classical Japanese using the continuative form 過ぎたる and the negative 及ばざる, with 猶 (なお) meaning 'still' or 'as well' and 如し (ごとし) meaning 'is like'.