sail a boat with the current; use external forces to achieve a goal
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to take advantage of favorable circumstances; to use existing resources or forces to achieve one's own ends
formal常与“借风使船”同义互用。多用于书面语或正式场合，强调策略性、智慧地借助外部力量。
Tā他
jiè借
shuǐ水
xíng行
zhōu舟
，
lì利
yòng用
gōng公
sī司
de的
píng平
tái台
xùn迅
sù速
jī积
lěi累
le了
zì自
jǐ己
de的
zī资
yuán源
。
He sailed with the current, rapidly accumulating his own resources by leveraging the company's platform.
Zhè这
xiàng项
zhèng政
cè策
ruò若
néng能
jiè借
shuǐ水
xíng行
zhōu舟
，
lì利
yòng用
hǎo好
shì市
chǎng场
de的
lì力
liàng量
，
jiù就
néng能
shì事
bàn半
gōng功
bèi倍
。
If this policy can sail with the current and properly utilize market forces, it will achieve twice the result with half the effort.
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Xīn新
chuàng创
qǐ企
yè业
yào要
xiǎng想
fā发
zhǎn展
，
bì必
xū须
xué学
huì会
jiè借
shuǐ水
xíng行
zhōu舟
，
jiè借
zhù助
tóu投
zī资
hé和
hé合
zuò作
huǒ伙
bàn伴
de的
lì力
liàng量
。
For a startup to grow, it must learn to sail with the current by leveraging investment and the strength of partners.