人往高處走，水往低處流

人往高处走，水往低处流
rénwǎnggāochùzǒu,shuǐwǎngdīchùliú
  1. man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down (idiom)
  2. one should constantly strive to make progress

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 人 rén person; people

classifiers: 個, 位
=2 往 wǎng
  1. to go (in a direction)
  2. to
  3. towards
  4. (of a train) bound for
  5. past
  6. previous
=2 往 wǎng old variant of 往 wǎng
3 高處 gāochù
  1. high place
  2. elevation
4 走 zǒu
  1. to walk
  2. to go
  3. to run
  4. to move (of vehicle)
  5. to visit
  6. to leave
  7. to go away
  8. to die (euph.)
  9. from
  10. through
  11. away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走 chèzǒu)
  12. to change (shape, form, meaning)
5 水 shuǐ
  1. water
  2. (after a name) ... River
  3. to swim (used mostly in 會水 huìshuǐ and 水性 shuǐxìng)
  4. (coll.) lacking in substance; shoddy
  5. (bound form) additional cost; extra income
  6. classifier for washings of a garment
=6 往 wǎng
  1. to go (in a direction)
  2. to
  3. towards
  4. (of a train) bound for
  5. past
  6. previous
=6 往 wǎng old variant of 往 wǎng
7 低處 dīchù low place; place that is low in elevation
8 流 liú
  1. to flow
  2. to disseminate
  3. to circulate or spread
  4. to move or drift
  5. to degenerate
  6. to banish or send into exile
  7. stream of water or sth resembling one
  8. class, rate or grade