| 人往高处走，水往低处流 |
rén wǎng gāo chù zǒu , shuǐ wǎng dī chù liú |
man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down (idiom) / one should constantly strive to make progress |
| 人 |
rén |
person; people / CL:个,位 |
| 往 |
wǎng |
to go (in a direction) / to / towards / (of a train) bound for / past / previous |
| 往 |
wǎng |
old variant of 往 |
| 高 |
Gāo |
surname Gao |
| 高 |
gāo |
high / tall / above average / loud / your (honorific) |
| 高处 |
gāo chù |
high place / elevation |
| 处 |
chǔ |
to reside / to live / to dwell / to be in / to be situated at / to stay / to get along with / to be in a position of / to deal with / to discipline / to punish |
| 处 |
chù |
(bound form) place; locality / (bound form) part; aspect / (bound form) office; department; bureau / classifier for locations: spot, point |
| 走 |
zǒu |
to walk / to go / to run / to move (of vehicle) / to visit / to leave / to go away / to die (euph.) / from / through / away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走) / to change (shape, form, meaning) |
| 水 |
Shuǐ |
surname Shui |
| 水 |
shuǐ |
water / (after a name) ... River / to swim (used mostly in 会水 and 水性) / (coll.) lacking in substance; shoddy / (bound form) additional cost; extra income / classifier for washings of a garment |
| 往 |
wǎng |
to go (in a direction) / to / towards / (of a train) bound for / past / previous |
| 往 |
wǎng |
old variant of 往 |
| 低 |
dī |
low / beneath / to lower (one's head) / to let droop / to hang down / to incline |
| 处 |
chǔ |
to reside / to live / to dwell / to be in / to be situated at / to stay / to get along with / to be in a position of / to deal with / to discipline / to punish |
| 处 |
chù |
(bound form) place; locality / (bound form) part; aspect / (bound form) office; department; bureau / classifier for locations: spot, point |
| 流 |
liú |
to flow / to disseminate / to circulate or spread / to move or drift / to degenerate / to banish or send into exile / stream of water or sth resembling one / class, rate or grade |