Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道
Traditional: 水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，故幾於道
Pinyin: shuǐ shàn lì wàn wù ér bù zhēng, chǔ zhòng rén zhī suǒ wù, gù jī yú dào
Literal translation
Water is skilled at benefiting all things without competing; it dwells in places everyone dislikes, and so it is close to the Way.
Natural English meaning
Water nourishes without rivalry, accepts the low places others avoid, and models a humble, flexible way of living.
Closest English equivalent
The quiet power of humility.
English has no exact proverb with the same Daoist image; this rendering captures the passage’s praise of beneficial, noncompetitive action.
When to use it
Use it when reflecting on humility, service, flexible leadership, or influence that does not depend on competing for attention.
When not to use it
Do not use it to glorify passivity, self-erasure, or remaining in harmful conditions; the passage praises non-contention and usefulness, not neglect of oneself.
Example sentence
他从不争功，却总是在关键处帮助团队，正是水善利万物而不争的态度。
He never competes for credit, yet he helps the team where it matters—an attitude of benefiting others without striving for recognition.
Origin and cultural context
From chapter 8 of the Dao De Jing, traditionally attributed to Laozi. The passage presents water’s flexibility, humility, and non-contention as qualities close to the Way.
Classification: classical quotation. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
