Meaning
This chengyu literally means 'rivers flowing downward day by day.' It describes a situation that is continuously deteriorating or declining, like water flowing downhill. The idiom carries a sense of inevitable decline and is often used to lament the worsening state of affairs, whether in politics, society, morality, or personal circumstances.
Usage
This is a literary idiom used in formal or written contexts to express disappointment or concern about declining standards or worsening conditions. It carries a somewhat pessimistic or critical tone and is often used when discussing social trends, institutional quality, or moral standards. Not commonly used in casual daily conversation.
Examples
- 01这家公司的业绩江河日下，已经连续三年亏损了。, .This company's performance has been going from bad to worse; it has been losing money for three consecutive years.
- 02他感叹现在年轻人的道德观念江河日下，不如从前了。, .He lamented that young people's moral values nowadays are steadily declining and are not as good as before.
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Antonyms
Origin
The idiom originates from 'Preface to the Poems of Master Luo of Wujiang' by Su Shi (Song Dynasty). It uses the natural image of rivers flowing downward to symbolize irreversible decline, drawing on the Chinese literary tradition of using nature metaphors to describe human affairs.