水涨船高

水漲船高
shuǐzhǎngchuángāo
  1. the tide rises, the boat floats (idiom); fig. to change with the overall trend
  2. to develop according to the situation

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 水 shuǐ
  1. water
  2. (after a name) ... River
  3. to swim (used mostly in 会水 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
2 涨 zhǎng to rise (of prices, rivers)
=3 船 chuán variant of 船 chuán
=3 船 chuán
  1. boat
  2. vessel
  3. ship

classifiers: 條, 艘, 隻
4 高 gāo
  1. high
  2. tall
  3. above average
  4. loud
  5. your (honorific)