学如逆水行舟，不进则退

Traditional form:

學如逆水行舟，不進則退

Pinyin (reading):

xuérúnìshuǐxíngzhōu,bùjìnzétuì

Definitions:

• study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind

Characters:

• 学 - learning, knowledge, science; to study, to go to school; -ology
• 如 - as, as if, like, such as, supposing
• 逆 - to disobey, to rebel; traitor, rebel
• 水 - water, liquid, lotion, juice
• 行 - to go, to walk, to move; professional
• 舟 - boat, ship
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 进 - to advance, to make progress; to come in, to enter
• 则 - rule, law, regulation; grades
• 退 - to retreat, to step back, to withdraw

Traditional characters:

• 學 - learning, knowledge, science; to study, to go to school; -ology
• 如 - as, as if, like, such as, supposing
• 逆 - to disobey, to rebel; traitor, rebel
• 水 - water, liquid, lotion, juice
• 行 - to go, to walk, to move; professional
• 舟 - boat, ship
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 進 - to advance, to make progress; to come in, to enter
• 則 - rule, law, regulation; grades
• 退 - to retreat, to step back, to withdraw