划水

• Pinyin: huà shuǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 划 (paddle) + 水 (water) -> moving the paddle lightly, metaphorically low effort.

Meaning

划水 means coasting with minimal effort, especially in a group task.

It often implies someone benefits from the group while contributing little. Compared with 摸鱼, it is more about low contribution than hidden personal leisure.

Examples

1. 小组作业他全程划水。 He coasted through the whole group project.
2. 比赛最后几分钟大家有点划水。 In the last few minutes of the match, everyone was a bit half-hearted.
3. 别把合理分工少的人说成划水。 Don't call someone 划水 just because they had a smaller share after a fair split of the work.

Usage Guide

Context: group projects, sports, workplace

Tone: critical, teasing, informal

Do Say

• 团队任务不出力可说划水。（It fits low contribution.）
• 领先太多后放松也可说划水。（It can mean coasting.）

Don't Say

• 把分工不同误判成划水。（Check contribution first.）

Common Mistakes

• Do not confuse 划水 with 摸鱼 in every case; 划水 often involves group performance.

Origin & History

From the image of paddling water lightly without really moving forward, later used for low-effort participation.

Cultural Context

Era: 2020s

Generation: Students, gamers, and office workers

Social background: School, workplace, and gaming teams

Regional notes: Common in Mainland casual speech.