# 细水长流

xì shuǐ cháng liú

Make steady, modest effort or use resources sparingly over time

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** A small stream flows for a long time

**Traditional Chinese:** 細水長流

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Encourage sustainable effort or careful use of resources.

The emphasis is continuity, not doing so little that no progress is possible.

## The image & its use

A small stream can continue flowing when its supply is used steadily. The expression applies that image to effort and resources. A short daily reading session may build knowledge more reliably than one exhausting day followed by a long pause. Likewise, careful use can help materials last for an extended project. The pace still needs to suit the goal. A manageable routine should make real progress while leaving enough energy or supplies to continue it over time.

## Examples

学习可以细水长流，每天认真读一小段。

### Traditional Chinese

學習可以細水長流，每天認真讀一小段。

xué xí kě yǐ xì shuǐ cháng liú ， měi tiān rèn zhēn dú yì xiǎo duàn 。

Learning can proceed steadily through a short daily reading session.

材料要细水长流地使用，才能完成整个项目。

### Traditional Chinese

材料要細水長流地使用，才能完成整個項目。

cái liào yào xì shuǐ cháng liú dì shǐ yòng ， cái néng wán chéng zhěng gè xiàng mù 。

Use the materials sparingly so they last through the whole project.

她选择细水长流的练习方式。

### Traditional Chinese

她選擇細水長流的練習方式。

tā xuǎn zé xì shuǐ cháng liú de liàn xí fāng shì 。

She chooses a steady, sustainable practice routine.

细水长流并非没有目标，而是重视持续积累。

### Traditional Chinese

細水長流並非沒有目標，而是重視持續積累。

xì shuǐ cháng liú bìng fēi méi yǒu mù biāo ， ér shì zhòng shì chí xù jī lěi 。

Steady modest effort values continued accumulation toward a goal.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1390&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%B4%B0%E6%B0%B4%E9%95%B7%E6%B5%81)

## Keep exploring

- [血气方刚 xuè qì fāng gāng Be young, vigorous, and impetuous ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xue-qi-fang-gang)

- [学以致用 xué yǐ zhì yòng Put learning into practice ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xue-yi-zhi-yong)

- [循序渐进 xún xù jiàn jìn Make progress step by step ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/xun-xu-jian-jin)

- [揠苗助长 yà miáo zhù zhǎng Damage progress by forcing it too quickly ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ya-miao-zhu-zhang)

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