学

xué to learn; to study; to imitate; science; -ology

如

rú as; as if; such as

逆水行舟

nì shuǐ xíng zhōu lit. a boat going against the current (idiom); fig. you must work harder

， 不

bù (negative prefix); not; no

进

jìn to go forward; to advance; to go in; to enter; to put in; to submit; to take in; to admit; (math.) base of a number system; classifier for sections in a building or residential compound

则

zé (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then; standard; norm; principle; to imitate; to follow; classifier for written items

退

tuì to retreat; to decline; to move back; to withdraw