Definition
活水 refers to 'flowing water' — water that is moving, circulating, and thus fresh and clean, as opposed to 死水 (stagnant, dead water). The word is often used metaphorically to describe a dynamic, self-renewing source of ideas, resources, or vitality. It appears in both literal contexts (rivers, streams) and figurative ones (活水源头 'source of living water' as a metaphor for continuous renewal).
n.
flowing waterrunning water (as opposed to stagnant water)(figurative) a dynamicself-renewing source
Examples
- 活水，。Zhè tiáo hé shì huó shuǐ, suǒyǐ shuǐ hěn gānjìng.This river is flowing water, so the water is very clean.
- 活水，。Zhīshi jiù xiàng huó shuǐ, xūyào bùduàn gēngxīn.Knowledge is like flowing water — it needs constant renewal.
- 活水，。Zhǐyǒu yǐnrù huó shuǐ, chítáng cái bú huì fā chòu.Only by introducing flowing water will the pond not stink.
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