逆水行舟

Pronunciation: nì shuǐ xíng zhōu
Literal meaning: Boat moving against current

Origin & Usage

This idiom describes a boat (舟) moving (行) against (逆) the current (水), originally appearing in Tang Dynasty texts discussing persistence in difficult endeavors. The metaphor draws from the experience of river traders who understood that stopping meant drifting backward. During the Song Dynasty, it gained particular significance in educational contexts, where scholars used it to encourage consistent effort in study. The image powerfully suggests that maintaining position against opposing forces requires constant effort. Modern usage emphasizes that progress against any opposing force - whether in personal development, business competition, or social reform - requires continuous effort to avoid regression.

Examples

English: "In this competitive industry, you must keep improving or fall behind"

Chinese: 在这个竞争激烈的行业，你必须不断进步，否则就会落后

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