学如逆水行舟,不进则退 xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu , bù jìn zé tuì

DEFINITIONS

  1. Study is like rowing upstream: no advance is to drop back

CHARACTERS

学 xué learning, knowledge; school
如 rú if, supposing; as if; like, as
逆 nì disobey, rebel; rebel, traitor
水 shuǐ water, liquid, lotion, juice
行 xíng go; walk; move, travel; circulate
舟 zhōu boat, ship; KangXi radical 137
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
进 jìn advance, make progress, enter
则 zé rule, law, regulation; grades
退 tuì step back, retreat, withdraw