每天成语
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顺水推舟

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu
  • English Translation: Pushing a boat with the current (going with the flow)
  • Idiom Composition: 「顺」（To follow or go along with）＋「水」（Water or the current）＋「推」（To push）＋「舟」（A boat）
  • Meaning: To take advantage of an existing trend, situation, or someone else's suggestion to achieve a goal without much effort. It describes acting in accordance with the circumstances rather than resisting them.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「顺水推舟」 contains the following nuances:

  • Minimal Effort: The idiom emphasizes that by utilizing existing momentum (the water's current), one can achieve results without exerting much personal force or facing resistance.
  • Flexibility vs. Opportunism: It carries a dual nuance: positively, it means being adaptable and resourceful; negatively, it can imply being a 'yes-man' or lacking personal conviction by simply following the crowd.

3. Usage

「顺水推舟」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Agreeing to a Proposal: Used when someone makes a suggestion that happens to suit your interests, so you agree to it without resistance.
    • Example:「既然大家都推荐他当组长，我就顺水推舟，投他一票吧。」
      （Since everyone recommended him as the group leader, I decided to go with the flow and cast my vote for him.)
  • Interpersonal Adjustments: Used when one chooses not to correct a misunderstanding or a situation because the current direction is beneficial or convenient.
    • Example:「老板误以为这是我的功劳，我也就顺水推舟，没有解释。」
      （The boss mistakenly thought it was my credit, so I just went along with it and didn't explain.)
  • Strategic Opportunism: Used to describe quickly identifying a change in circumstances and using that opportunity to achieve a specific purpose.
    • Example:「看到市场需求大增，公司顺水推舟推出了新产品。」
      （Seeing the surge in market demand, the company took advantage of the situation to launch a new product.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 既然你已经把话说到这个份上了，我就顺水推舟答应你吧。
    （Since you've put it that way, I'll take you up on your offer and agree.）
  2. 与其强行阻拦，不如顺水推舟，引导事情向好的方向发展。
    （Instead of forcibly blocking it, it's better to go with the flow and guide things in a positive direction.）
  3. 他看大家都想早点下班，便顺水推舟地宣布会议结束。
    （Noticing everyone wanted to leave early, he read the room and declared the meeting over.）
  4. 这是一个顺水推舟的人情，何乐而不为呢？
    （This is a favor that costs nothing to give, so why not do it?）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The idiom appears in Yuan Dynasty dramas such as The Injustice to Dou E (窦娥冤) in the form 顺水推船 (shùn shuǐ tuī chuán). It reflects an ancient wisdom of not resisting the natural order, which aligns with Taoist (道教) philosophy.
  • The term is highly context-dependent. It can describe someone who is 'opportunistic' (lacking their own opinion) or someone who is 'resourceful' (quick to judge and act on a situation).
  • Unlike some English expressions that might imply 'interfering' or 'throwing a wrench in the works,' 顺水推舟 (shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu) always refers to moving in the same direction as the current to facilitate a process.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 顺水推舟 (shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu) describes the act of using the momentum of a situation or someone else's actions to move things forward smoothly. While it can imply being resourceful and flexible, it is sometimes used to criticize a lack of independent judgment or being opportunistic.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu
顺水推舟
Going with the Flow
zài在zhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàng上，zuò做shì qíng事情tōng cháng通常yǒu有liǎng zhǒng两种fāng shì方式。

In this world, there are usually two ways of doing things.

yī zhǒng一种shì是“nì liú ér shàng逆流而上”，nǐ你xū yào需要kè fú克服hěn很dà大de的zǔ lì阻力，fēi cháng非常nǔ lì努力，cái néng才能qián jìn前进yì diǎn diǎn一点点。

One is to go against the current, where you need to overcome great resistance and work very hard just to move forward a little.

ér而lìng另yī zhǒng一种，zé则shì是cōng míng聪明dì地lì yòng利用huán jìng环境de的lì liàng力量，ràng让zì jǐ自己biàn dé变得qīng sōng轻松。

The other is to cleverly use the power of the environment to make things easier for yourself.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常xíng xiàng形象de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容hòu后yī zhǒng一种zhì huì智慧，jiào zuò叫做“shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu顺水推舟”。

In Chinese, there is a very vivid idiom used specifically to describe this latter kind of wisdom, called 顺水推舟.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，zhè ge这个huà miàn画面fēi cháng非常yǒu有dòng gǎn动感。

Literally, this image is very dynamic.

“shùn shuǐ顺水”，yì si意思shì是shùn zhe顺着shuǐ liú水流de的fāng xiàng方向；“tuī zhōu推舟”，jiù shì就是tuī推chuán船。

顺水 means following the direction of the water flow; 推舟 means pushing a boat.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，yī zhī一只chuán船běn lái本来jiù就yǐ jīng已经suí zhe随着shuǐ liú水流zài在wǎng qián往前zǒu走le了，zhè shí hòu这时候，nǐ你zài在hòu miàn后面qīng qīng轻轻tuī推le了yī bǎ一把。

Imagine a boat that is already moving forward with the current, and at that moment, you give it a gentle push from behind.

zhè这zhǐ只chuán船huì会zǒu走dé得gèng更kuài快，ér而nǐ你ne呢？

The boat will move faster, and you?

jī hū几乎bù不xū yào需要huā花shén me什么lì qì力气。

You hardly need to exert any effort at all.

suǒ yǐ所以zài在shēng huó生活zhōng中，“shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu顺水推舟”de的yì si意思jiù shì就是：shùn yìng顺应dāng shí当时de的xíng shì形势huò或qū shì趋势，qù去zuò做yī jiàn一件běn lái本来jiù就hěn很zì rán自然、huò zhě或者bié rén别人xī wàng希望nǐ你zuò做de的shì qíng事情。

So in life, 顺水推舟 means following the current situation or trend to do something that is already natural or that others want you to do.

zhè ge这个cí词zuì最miào妙de的dì fāng地方，zài yú在于tā它jīng cháng经常bèi被yòng用zài在“rén jì jiāo wǎng人际交往”zhōng中。

The most subtle part of this term is that it is often used in interpersonal interactions.

jǔ举gè个lì zi例子：jiǎ shè假设nǐ你běn lái本来jiù就dǎ suàn打算qù去mǎi买kā fēi咖啡。

For example: suppose you were already planning to go buy coffee.

zhè shí hòu这时候，tóng shì同事zhèng hǎo正好wèn问nǐ你：“néng能bù néng不能bāng帮wǒ我yě也dài带yī bēi一杯？”

At that moment, a colleague happens to ask you: "Could you bring one for me too?"

nǐ你dā yìng答应le了。

You agree.

zhè这qí shí其实jiù shì就是yī zhǒng一种“shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu顺水推舟”。

This is actually a form of 顺水推舟.

nǐ你méi yǒu没有tè yì特意wèi le为了tā他pǎo跑yī tàng一趟，dàn但yīn wèi因为nǐ你de的fāng xiàng方向hé和tā他de的qǐng qiú请求shì是yí zhì一致de的，nǐ你shùn shì顺势bāng帮le了gè个máng忙，jì既wán chéng完成le了rèn wù任务，yòu又shōu huò收获le了rén qíng人情。

You didn't make a special trip for them, but because your direction and their request were aligned, you helped out along the way, completing the task and gaining a favor.

dāng rán当然，yǒu shí hòu有时候zhè ge这个cí词yě也dài带zhe着yì diǎn diǎn一点点“cè lüè策略”de的wèi dào味道。

Of course, sometimes this term also carries a bit of a strategic flavor.

dāng当nǐ你fā xiàn发现jú shì局势yǐ jīng已经wú fǎ无法gǎi biàn改变，huò zhě或者duì fāng对方de的tài dù态度fēi cháng非常jiān jué坚决shí时，yǔ qí与其yìng pèng yìng硬碰硬dì地duì kàng对抗，bù rú不如“shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu顺水推舟”，shùn zhe顺着duì fāng对方de的yì si意思qù去zuò做，fǎn ér反而néng能bǎo hù保护zì jǐ自己，huò zhě或者dé dào得到xiǎng yào想要de的jié guǒ结果。

When you find that a situation is unchangeable or the other party's attitude is very firm, instead of confronting them head-on, it is better to 顺水推舟 and go along with their wishes to protect yourself or get the desired result.

suī rán虽然zài在mǒu xiē某些yǔ jìng语境xià下，tā它kě néng可能ràng让rén人jué de觉得yǒu diǎn有点yuán huá圆滑，bù gòu不够jiān chí坚持yuán zé原则。

Although in some contexts it might make people feel a bit slick or lacking in principle.

dàn但zài在gèng更duō多de的shí hòu时候，tā它dài biǎo代表le了yī zhǒng一种duì对“shí jī时机”de的mǐn ruì敏锐pàn duàn判断。

But more often than not, it represents a keen judgment of timing.

tā它tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：zuò做shì qíng事情bù不yí dìng一定fēi非yào要mǎn tóu dà hán满头大汗cái才jiào叫nǔ lì努力。

It reminds us that doing things doesn't necessarily require being covered in sweat to be called hard work.

rú guǒ如果nǐ你néng能kàn qīng看清“shuǐ水”shì是wǎng往nǎ lǐ哪里liú流de的，nà me那么jiè zhe借着shuǐ水de的lì liàng力量，qīng qīng轻轻tuī推yī bǎ一把，yě xǔ也许néng能zǒu走dé得gèng更yuǎn远。

If you can see where the water is flowing, then by using the power of the water and giving a gentle push, you might go further.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你fā xiàn发现shì qíng事情de的fā zhǎn发展zhèng hǎo正好hé和nǐ你de的jì huà计划bù móu ér hé不谋而合，huò zhě或者xíng shì形势tuī zhe推着nǐ你bù dé bù不得不wǎng qián往前zǒu shí走时，bù fáng不妨shì zhe试着bú yào不要duì kàng对抗，ér shì而是shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu顺水推舟。

Next time, when you find that the development of things happens to coincide with your plan, or the situation pushes you forward, try not to resist, but instead 顺水推舟.

zhè这bù jǐn不仅shì是yī zhǒng一种biàn lì便利，gèng shì更是yī zhǒng一种shùn yìng顺应shí shì时势de的zhì huì智慧。

This is not just a convenience, but a wisdom of adapting to the times.

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