水到渠成 (shuǐ dào qú chéng) — when conditions are ripe, success comes naturally; everything falls into place

Definition

A 成语 meaning 'when the time is right, success follows naturally' — like water flowing into a ready-made channel. Use it for situations where results feel effortless because conditions are already prepared.

idiom
when conditions are ripesuccess comes naturallyeverything falls into place

Examples

  • ,水到渠成。
    Zhǐ yào nǐ nǔ lì zhǔn bèi, chéng gōng zì rán huì shuǐ dào qú chéng.
    As long as you work hard to prepare, success will naturally come when conditions are ripe.
  • ,,水到渠成。
    Bié zháo jí, màn màn lái, shì qing zǒng huì shuǐ dào qú chéng de.
    Don't worry, take it slow, things will work out naturally.
  • ,水到渠成,。
    Tā men hé zuò duō nián, xiàng mù zuì zhōng shuǐ dào qú chéng, shùn lì wán chéng le.
    After years of cooperation, the project finally fell into place and was completed smoothly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

水到water arrives
水shuǐwater到dàoarrive
主谓Subject + predicate
渠成channel forms
渠qúchannel成chéngform
主谓Subject + predicate

水到 describes water arriving and 渠成 describes the channel forming, so success follows naturally.

Characters in this word

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
至至zhìto arrive
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo到dào
Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Open 到 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
榘
榘jǔ渠qú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

渠 pairs 水 (water) with 榘 (jǔ), which gives the sound.

Open 渠 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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