Japanese meaning of 時期尚早

Reading:
じきしょうそう (jiki shousou)

English Translation:

Jumping the gun

Meaning & Cultural Context

Meaning:


To begin an activity or take action before the situation is appropriate or before proper preparations are complete, often resulting in poor outcomes.

Cultural Context:


From Japanese bureaucratic and political language, now also common in business and media to signal caution.

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

• Noun phrase often followed by “だ” to indicate premature action.

Trap for English Speakers

May be confused with “earliest opportunity” instead of “too early.”

Example

Basic Example

それを決定するのは時期尚早だ。

It’s too early to decide that.


Applied Example

「今は動くな。時期尚早だ。」

Don’t make a move now. It’s premature.