Literal meaning
carve (刻) — boat (舟) — seek (求) — sword (剑)
Origin
Lüshi Chunqiu (《吕氏春秋·察今》). A man from the state of Chu was crossing a river when his sword fell into the water. He immediately carved a mark on the side of the boat at the spot where it fell, planning to dive in later to retrieve it. When the boat docked, he jumped in at the mark. But of course the boat had moved while the sword hadn't — the marker was useless. The story is the canonical image of refusing to update one's reference points when the world has moved on.
Examples
Usage & nuances
Common in political and business commentary about institutions that refuse to adapt. Slightly literary register, but widely understood.
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