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逆水行舟

Mandarin · pinyin nì shuǐ xíng zhōu

lit. navigating a boat against the current (idiom)
fig. in a tough environment (one needs to work hard)

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Characters in this entry

逆: nì · disobey, rebel; rebel, traitor
水: shuǐ · water, liquid, lotion, juice
行: xíng · go; walk; move, travel; circulate; Kangxi radical 144
舟: zhōu · boat, ship; Kangxi radical 137

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–3–2–1 · ni4 shui3 xing2 zhou1

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jik6 seoi2 hang4 zau1

Cantonese word readings for 逆水行舟. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to diligently engage in one's studies (like a boat going against the currents)
(idiomatic) to go against the tide

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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