Skip to content
Step Learn Chinese
← Explore word lists

CHINESE WORD

kè zhōu qiú jiàn

刻舟求剑

a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom)

HSK 7-9
Numbered pinyin
ke4 zhou1 qiu2 jian4
English meanings
lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom), fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances

Example sentences

Read the Chinese sentence, then check its English translation.

  1. 01

    kèzhōuqiújiàn刻舟求剑。

    Cut marks on the boat to find the sword.

  2. 02

    mò墨shǒu守chéng成guī规。

    Stick to old ways.

  3. 03

    línghuó灵活biàn变tōng通。

    Be flexible.

  4. 04

    yǔshíjùjìn与时俱进。

    Keep up with the times.

  5. 05

    shùnyìng顺应biànhuà变化。

    Adapt to change.

  6. 06

    yǔshíjùjìn与时俱进。

    Move with the times.

Characters in this word

Explore the individual characters to build your vocabulary.

Create a worksheet