则其负大舟也无力

則其負大舟也無力

zé qí fù dà zhōu yě wúlì

quotation

Meanings

1 then it has no strength to bear up a great boat
2 shallow water lacks the power to float a big ship - Zhuangzi on accumulated depth

Characters

to bear; support

(classical particle)

Examples

HSK 7-9

基础不够扎实，则其负大舟也无力，撑不起大项目。

Jīchǔ búgòu zhāshi, zéqífùdàzhōuyěwúlì, chēng bù qǐ dà xiàngmù.

Without a solid foundation, 'it has no strength to bear a great boat' - you can't hold up big projects.

HSK 7-9

庄子那句则其负大舟也无力，讲的是积累的重要。

Zhuāngzǐ nà jù zéqífùdàzhōuyěwúlì, jiǎng de shì jīlěi de zhòngyào.

Zhuangzi's line 'it has no strength to bear a great boat' is about the importance of accumulation.

Tips

history

From 《庄子·逍遥游》: 且夫水之积也不厚，则其负大舟也无力 - 'moreover, if water is not deeply accumulated, it has no strength to bear a great boat.' Zhuangzi's parable arguing that great achievements need deep preparation, just before the line about the Peng bird needing thick wind.

usage

负 here = 'to bear, support (a weight),' not 'negative.' 则 = 'then / so.' Never quoted standalone; it only makes sense as the second half of 水之积也不厚，则其负大舟也无力 and in context of 《逍遥游》.

Stroke Order

则 zé

其 qí

负 fù

大 dà

舟 zhōu

也 yě

无 wú

力 lì