水ㄕㄨㄟˇshuǐ能ㄋㄥˊnéng載ㄗㄞˋzài舟ㄓㄡzhōu，亦ㄧˋyì能ㄋㄥˊnéng覆ㄈㄨˋfù舟ㄓㄡzhōu

  1. （諺語）​比喻事物使用得當則有利，不當則有害。唐·吳兢《貞觀政要·卷一·政體》：「臣又聞古語云：『君，舟也；人，水也。水能載舟，亦能覆舟。』陛下以為可畏，誠如聖旨。」

英lit. water may keep the boat afloat but may also sink it (proverb)​, fig. the people can support a regime or overturn it, if sth is used properly, one can benefit from it, otherwise it can do harm, things can be double-edged