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抽刀断水水更流

抽刀斷水水更流
chōudāoduànshuǐshuǐgèngliú
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 draw the blade to cut the water — the water only flows on
  2. 2 (fig.) sorrow cannot be severed by an effort of will; it returns stronger
  3. 3 (lit.) draw-blade cut-water, water further flows

Examples

他想忘掉那段感情，却抽刀断水水更流。
Tā xiǎng wàngdiào nà duàn gǎnqíng, què chōu dāo duàn shuǐ shuǐ gèng liú.
He tried to forget that relationship, but 'drew the blade to cut the water, and the water only flowed on.'
越想压下烦恼，越是抽刀断水水更流。
Yuè xiǎng yāxià fánnǎo, yuè shì chōu dāo duàn shuǐ shuǐ gèng liú.
The harder one tries to suppress the worry, the more 'the blade cuts the water and the water flows on.'

Tips

history
From 李白《宣州谢朓楼饯别校书叔云》(Li Bai, Farewell Banquet on Xie Tiao's Tower in Xuanzhou for Uncle Yun the Collator, mid-8th c., Tang). Closing couplet: 抽刀断水水更流，举杯销愁愁更愁。人生在世不称意，明朝散发披发弄扁舟 (Draw the blade to cut the water — the water flows on. Raise the cup to drown sorrow — sorrow grows stronger. Life in this world never meets one's wishes — tomorrow, loosen my hair and take to a small skiff). One of Li Bai's most famous expressions of weariness with worldly frustration.
usage
Always paired with 举杯销愁愁更愁 (raise the cup to drown sorrow, sorrow grows stronger). The symmetry of 抽刀/举杯 and 水更流/愁更愁 is a textbook example of parallelism (对仗) in Tang heptasyllabic verse.

Stroke Order

抽 chōu
刀 dāo
断 duàn
水 shuǐ
更 gèng
流 liú