流水不腐

Chinese
flowing water; something flowing rapidly, continually or irreversibly like water not; no decay; rotten
trad. (流水不腐) 流水 不 腐
simp. #(流水不腐) 流水 不 腐

Etymology

From 《呂氏春秋·盡數》:

流水不腐，戶樞不蠹，動也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
流水不腐，户枢不蠹，动也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE
Liúshuǐ bùfǔ, hùshū bùdù, dòng yě. [Pinyin]
That running water does not rot, and a door hinge does not suffer from worms, is because of movement.

Pronunciation

Idiom

流水不腐

  1. Flowing water is never stale
  2. (figuratively) A rolling stone gathers no moss
  3. (figuratively) Things in frequent use are not easily eroded, and can remain energetic.

Synonyms
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