则其负大舟也无力

則其負大舟也無力

zéqífùdàzhōuyěwúlì

phrase

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

基础不够扎实，则其负大舟也无力，撑不起大项目。

Jīchǔ bùgòu zhāshi, zé qí fù dà zhōu yě wúlì, 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.

庄子那句则其负大舟也无力，讲的是积累的重要。

Zhuāngzǐ nà jù zé qí fù dà zhōu yě wúlì, 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