学如逆水行舟，不进则退

xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu , bù jìn zé tuì

study is like rowing upstream – if you don't keep pushing forward, you fall behind

学

xué

to learn

如

rú

as

逆

nì

contrary

水

shuǐ

water

行

xíng

(bound form) to walk; to go; to travel

舟

zhōu

boat

，

,

不

bù

no; not so

进

jìn

to go forward

则

zé

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

退

tuì

to retreat; to withdraw