學如逆水行舟，不進則退

学如逆水行舟，不进则退
xuérúnìshuǐxíngzhōu,bùjìnzétuì
study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 學 xué
  1. to learn
  2. to study
  3. to imitate
  4. science
  5. -ology
2 如 rú
  1. as
  2. as if
  3. such as
3 逆水行舟 nìshuǐxíngzhōu
  1. lit. navigating a boat against the current (idiom)
  2. fig. in a tough environment (one needs to work hard)
4 不 bù
  1. no; not so
  2. (bound form) not; un-
5 進 jìn
  1. to go forward
  2. to advance
  3. to go in
  4. to enter
  5. to put in
  6. to submit
  7. to take in
  8. to admit
  9. (math.) base of a number system
  10. classifier for sections in a building or residential compound
6 則 zé
  1. (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
  2. (bound form) standard; norm
  3. (bound form) principle
  4. (literary) to imitate; to follow
  5. classifier for written items
7 退 tuì
  1. to retreat; to withdraw
  2. to reject; to return (sth)
  3. to decline