📖 Meaning
To pour the water of one river into another. A metaphor for things that are so alike they become nearly impossible to tell apart. It describes situations where similarities between things make distinction difficult.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Daoist text Liezi (《列子·说符》), dating to the Warring States period. In the story, Bai Gong (白公) asks Confucius whether water poured into water could be recovered or distinguished. Confucius replies that Yi Ya (易牙), a legendary chef of the Qi state, could taste and distinguish the waters of the Zi and Sheng rivers when mixed. The dialogue uses the image of water merging with water to illustrate how truly similar things become indistinguishable. The passage reflects the philosophical concern with the limits of perception and discernment.
💡 Example Usage
两人的笔法极为相似，如以水投水，难以分辨。
The two writers' brushwork is so similar that, like water poured into water, it is nearly impossible to tell apart.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 以水投水
- Pinyin: yǐ shuǐ tóu shuǐ
- Literal Translation: with water, pour into water
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4