水能载舟,亦能覆舟
shuǐ néng zài zhōu , yì néng fù zhōu
Pinyin

Definition

水能载舟,亦能覆舟
 - 
shuǐ néng zài zhōu , yì néng fù zhōu
  1. lit. water may keep the boat afloat but may also sink it (proverb)
  2. fig. the people can support a regime or overturn it
  3. if sth is used properly, one can benefit from it, otherwise it can do harm
  4. things can be double-edged

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

kě néng
  1. 1 might (happen)
  2. 2 possible
  3. 3 probable
  4. 4 possibility
  5. 5 probability
  6. 6 maybe
  7. 7 perhaps
  8. 8 CL:個|个[gè]
Shuǐ
  1. 1 surname Shui
Néng
  1. 1 surname Neng
xià shuǐ
  1. 1 downstream
  2. 2 to go into the water
  3. 3 to put into water
  4. 4 to launch (a ship)
  5. 5 fig. to fall into bad ways
  6. 6 to lead astray
  7. 7 to go to pot
bù yì lè hū
  1. 1 lit. isn't that a joy? (quote from Confucius)
  2. 2 fig. (jocularly) extremely
  3. 3 awfully
  1. 1 also
Jiā néng
  1. 1 Canon (Japanese company)
jǐn kě néng
  1. 1 as far as possible
  2. 2 to do one's utmost
quán néng
  1. 1 omnipotent
  2. 2 all-round
  3. 3 strong in every area
bīng shuǐ
  1. 1 iced water
lěng shuǐ
  1. 1 cold water
  2. 2 unboiled water
  3. 3 fig. not yet ready (of plans)
gōng néng
  1. 1 function
  2. 2 capability
huà zhuāng shuǐ
  1. 1 skin toner
kǒu shuǐ
  1. 1 saliva
kě néng xìng
  1. 1 possibility
  2. 2 probability
duō gōng néng
  1. 1 multi-functional
  2. 2 multi-function
tài yáng néng
  1. 1 solar energy
Shān shuǐ
  1. 1 Sansui, Japanese company
xìng néng
  1. 1 function
  2. 2 performance
cái néng
  1. 1 talent
  2. 2 ability
  3. 3 capacity

Idioms (20)

一不做,二不休
yī bù zuò , èr bù xiū
  1. 1 don't do it, or don't rest (idiom); either give up, or go through to the end
  2. 2 Since we started, we must carry it through whatever happens.
  3. 3 in for a penny, in for a pound
一人得道,鸡犬升天
yī rén dé dào , jī quǎn shēng tiān
  1. 1 lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to ride on sb else's success
  3. 3 Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too
  4. 4 Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
一个天南,一个地北
yī ge tiān nán , yī ge dì běi
  1. 1 to live miles apart (idiom)
一传十,十传百
yī chuán shí , shí chuán bǎi
  1. 1 news pass quickly from mouth to mouth (idiom)
  2. 2 an infectious disease spreads quickly (old meaning)
一则以喜,一则以忧
yī zé yǐ xǐ , yī zé yǐ yōu
  1. 1 happy on the one hand, but worried on the other (idiom)
一夫当关,万夫莫开
yī fū dāng guān , wàn fū mò kāi
  1. 1 one man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies (idiom)
一寸光阴一寸金,寸金难买寸光阴
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn , cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn
  1. 1 lit. An interval of time is worth an ounce of gold, money cannot buy you time. (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. Time is precious and must be treasured.
一手交钱,一手交货
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
  1. 1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
  3. 3 simple and direct transaction
一日不见,如隔三秋
yī rì bù jiàn , rú gé sān qiū
  1. 1 one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
一日为师,终身为父
yī rì wéi shī , zhōng shēn wéi fù
  1. 1 lit. teacher for one day, father for ever (idiom)
一是一,二是二
yī shì yī , èr shì èr
  1. 1 lit. one is one, two is two (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut
  3. 3 unequivocal
一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳
yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng
  1. 1 once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope
  2. 2 once bitten, twice shy (idiom)
一波未平,一波又起
yī bō wèi píng , yī bō yòu qǐ
  1. 1 before the first wave subsides, a new wave rises (idiom); a new problem arises before the old is solved
  2. 2 many twists and turns to a story
  3. 3 one thing after another
一清如水
yī qīng rú shuǐ
  1. 1 lit. as clear as water (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. (of officials etc) honest and incorruptible
一瓶子不响,半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
  1. 1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
一碗水端平
yī wǎn shuǐ duān píng
  1. 1 lit. to hold a bowl of water level (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to be impartial
一着不慎,满盘皆输
yī zhāo bù shèn , mǎn pán jiē shū
  1. 1 One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
一言既出,驷马难追
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī
  1. 1 lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept
一点水一个泡
yī diǎn shuǐ yī gè pào
  1. 1 honest and trustworthy (idiom)
丈二和尚,摸不着头脑
zhàng èr hé shang , mō bu zháo tóu nǎo
  1. 1 lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. at a total loss

Sample Sentences