顺水推舟 (shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu) — (idiom) to seize a favorable opportunity to achieve one's goal with minimal effort; to go with the tide

Definition

Idiom meaning 'push the boat with the current' — to seize a favorable moment and let the situation carry you to your goal, rather than forcing it. Carries a mildly strategic, sometimes opportunistic tone.

idiom
to seize a favorable opportunity to achieve one's goal with minimal effortto go with the tide

Examples

  • ，顺水推舟，。
    Jì rán duì fāng yǐ jīng tóng yì le dà bù fen tiáo jiàn, wǒ men jiù shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu, gǎn jǐn bǎ hé tong qiān le ba.
    Since the other party has already agreed to most of the terms, let's go along with the current and sign the contract quickly.
  • ，顺水推舟，。
    Lǎo bǎn xīn qíng hěn hǎo, tā shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu tí chū jiā xīn de yāo qiú, jū rán chéng gōng le.
    The boss was in a good mood, so he took advantage of the situation to ask for a raise — and surprisingly, it worked.
  • ，顺水推舟，。
    Zài zhè chǎng biàn lùn zhōng, tā shùn shuǐ tuī zhōu, yòng duì fāng zì jǐ de lùn jù fǎn bó le huí qù.
    In this debate, he went with the flow and refuted the opponent using the opponent's own arguments.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

顺水follow the water
顺shùnfollow水shuǐwater
动宾Verb + object
推舟push the boat
推tuīpush舟zhōuboat
动宾Verb + object

顺水 and 推舟 describe following the current and pushing the boat, together giving the image of using a favorable situation to achieve a goal.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
隹
隹zhuī推tuī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is a hand, and the right side 隹 gives the sound; the character shows pushing with the hand.

Open 推 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

舟 was originally a drawing of a boat.

Open 舟 →

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