逆水行舟，不进则退 in English ni4 shui3 xing2 zhou1 , bu4 jin4 ze2 tui4 Meaning

Meanings

• like rowing a boat upstream, if you stop moving forward you fall back (idiomatic expression)

Pinyin

ni4 shui3 xing2 zhou1 , bu4 jin4 ze2 tui4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

逆ni4contrary 水shui3surname Shui 行xing2row 舟zhou1boat ， 不bu4(negative prefix) 进jin4to go forward 则ze2(conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but 退tui4to retreat