逆流 (nìliú): adverse current

Measure Word

一股逆流 gǔ

Yóuyǒng shí yào xiǎoxīn shuǐ zhōng de nìliú.

Be careful of countercurrents in the water when swimming.

Tāmen de bǎoshǒu sīxiǎng shì shídài de nìliú.

Their conservative thinking is a reactionary current against the times.

Nìliú ér shàng xūyào jí dà de yìlì.

Swimming against the current requires tremendous willpower.

usage

逆流 is used both literally (a current flowing against the main flow) and figuratively (a reactionary or retrograde trend in society or politics).

逆 nì

流 liú