To carve a notch into a boat to locate a sword
To describe people who obstinately stick to their ways and can't adapt when circumstances change
Negative
因应各种状况，我们不宜刻舟求剑，不知变通 | Yīnyìng gè zhǒng zhuàngkuàng, wǒmen bùyí kèzhōuqiújiàn, bùzhī biàntōng
In responding to various types of situations, we cannot stick to our old ways or be unable to adapt to the situation
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信息时代情况在不断发生变化，我们不能用刻舟求剑的方法来解决新问题 | Xìnxī shídài qíngkuàng zài bùduàn fāshēng biànhuà, wǒmen bùnéng yòng kèzhōuqiújiàn de fāngfǎ lái jiějué xīn wèntí
In the Age of Information, things change constantly. We cannot be fixated on using old ways to resolve new problems
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《吕氏春秋》(Lǚ Shì Chūn Qiū), a compilation of the philosophies of the Hundred Schools of Thought. It was created during the Qín Dynasty (秦, 221 - 207 BC) with the patronage of Chancellor 吕不韦 (Lǚ Bù Wéi)
During the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC), there was a man from the kingdom of 楚国 (Chǔ Guó) who was riding a boat to cross a river. When the boat reached the middle of the river, the man accidentally dropped a sword that he was carrying overboard. He lunged forward and extended his hand in attempts to catch the weapon, but it was too late, and the sword sank into the water's depths. All of the other people on the boat expressed their sympathy, and several of them suggested that he quickly jump in the water to see if he could fish his weapon out before it sank to the bottom.
The man refused to jump into the water, but that was because he had something else in mind. He pulled out a small knife and carved a mark into the ship's railing, and then told his companions, "This is where my sword fell, so I want to make a note of it."
His words confused the others, but they didn't question him. They just shook their heads.
When the ship finally docked on the other side of the river, the man immediately went over to the mark he'd carved, then jumped into the water and began to search for his sword. He searched and he searched and he searched, but he couldn't find any trace of the weapon anywhere. He finally gave up, scratching his head in bafflement.
It was then that the others realized what he was trying to do, and they all roared with laughter.