逆水行舟(역수행주)

강물을 거슬러 배를 몰다.
강물을 거슬러 가는 배와 같이 학업은 끊임없이 노력하지 않으면 안 된다.
學如逆水行舟 不進則退(학여역수행주 부진즉퇴)는 "학문은 마치 강물을 거슬러 배를 모는 경우와 같아서 앞으로 나아가지 않으면 곧 뒤로 밀려나게 된다"는 의미이다.

a boat going against the currents

a boat go against the stream

boat in the direction of the water flow

diligently engage in one's studies like a boat going against the currents
Learning is like making the boat go against the current, if you stop moving forward, you will go back.

like rowing a boat upstream, if you stop moving forward, you fall back

Study is like rowing upstream, no advance is drop back.

study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind

One who does not advance loses ground.

鲁迅 《且介亭杂文 门外文谈》 即使目下还有点逆水行舟，也只好拉纤。
노신 《차개정잡문 문외문담》 즉사목하환유점역수행주，야지호랍섬。

梁启超(清) 《莅山西票商欢迎会学说词》 夫旧而能守，斯亦已矣！然鄙人以为人之处于世也，如逆水行舟，不进则退。
양계초(청) 《이산서표상환영회학설사》 부구이능수，사역이의！연비인이위인지처우세야，여역수행주，부진즉퇴。