流水不腐

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Chinese

[edit]
flowing water; something flowing rapidly, continually or irreversibly like water not; no decay; rotten
trad. (流水不腐) 流水
simp. #(流水不腐) 流水

Etymology

[edit]

From 《呂氏春秋·盡數》:

流水不腐戶樞不蠹 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
流水不腐户枢不蠹 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE
Liúshuǐ bùfǔ, hùshū bùdù, dòng yě. [Pinyin]
That running water does not rot, and a door hinge does not suffer from worms, is because of movement.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Idiom

[edit]

流水不腐

  1. Flowing water is never stale
  2. (figuratively) A rolling stone gathers no moss
  3. (figuratively) Things in frequent use are not easily eroded, and can remain energetic.

Synonyms

[edit]