逆水行舟

lit. navigating a boat against the current (idiom) / fig. in a tough environment (one needs to work hard)

Characters and words in 逆水行舟

nì = ni + Ø4

contrary / opposite / backwards / to go against / to oppose / to betray / to rebel

逆 = 屰 + 辶 : Nefertiti's (ni) son has lost all her money in a casino. As Nefertiti hears of her disobedient (屰) son's doings she pulls off one of her gladiator sandals (辶) to beat him to death in the space station's bathroom (Ø4) and exclaims "逆子！"

逆

nì

水

shuǐ

against the current / upstream

水

shuǐ = shu + ei3

surname Shui

水

shuǐ = shu + ei3

water / river / liquid / beverage / additional charges or income / (of clothes) classifier for number of washes

水 = ㇇ + 亅 + 丿 + ㇏ : Sheldon Shrimp just climbed the Eiffel Tower. He's really thirsty, so he's glad to find a water fountain. After he quenches his thirst, he also finds a snack: A banana is swimming in the water. He never ate a banana before, so he tries a mix of different methods: Putting on a fake beak to pick on the banana, holding it with a finger and peeling it with a crowbar.

行

háng = h + ang2

row / line / commercial firm / line of business / profession / to rank (first, second etc) among one's siblings (by age) / (in data tables) row / (Tw) column

行

xíng = xi + (e)ng2

to walk / to go / to travel / a visit / temporary / makeshift / current / in circulation / to do / to perform / capable / competent / effective / all right / OK! / will do / behavior / conduct / Taiwan pr. [xing4] for the behavior-conduct sense

行 = 亍 + 彳 : Mnemonic symbol from "to travel": seven-league boots.

Xi Shi (xi) is tired of walking with a black sneaker on her left foot (彳) and a full armor boot on her right foot (亍). Fortunately she finds seven-league boots (行) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2).

舟

zho̅u = zh + ou1

boat

舟 = 丹 + ⺀ : Mnemonic symbol: 舟 looks like the tower of a yellow submarine. In front of the outhouse (ou1), James II of England (zh) stands next to his yellow submarine (舟) and asks you: will you swallow the blossom (⺀) and continue your quiet life? Or will you swallow the red pill (丹) and follow him on his adventures in the submarine?