けん
剣
　
を
お
落
　
と
　
し
　
て
ふね
舟
　
を
きざ
刻
　
む

expression

Idiomatic expression. From a story in Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals.
  1. to not be getting with the times, to be unaware that things are changing, to drop one's sword (in the river) and carve (a mark) on the boat (to mark the spot where the sword was dropped).

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
けん
剣
　
を
お
落
　
と
　
し
　
て
ふね
舟
　
を
きざ
刻
　
む
 剣を落として舟を刻む けんをおとしてふねをきざむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

sabre, sword, blade
ケン　つるぎ (7th, N1)
all(僉) variant
to assemble. to gather together
シュウ　あつまる
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
center, middle
オウ　あきら　え (3rd, N2)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
large, big
ダイ　おお-　た (1st, N5)
knife, standing sword radical (no. 18)
トウ
fall, drop, come down
お.ちる　ラク　おち (3rd, N3)
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
Kyoto, the capital
ラク (Kentei Pre-1)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
each, every, either
カク　おのおの　かか (4th, N2)
late, delayed, winter radical (no. 34)
チ　しゅう (Kentei 1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
boat, ship
ふね　ふな-　シュウ (7th, N2)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
upside-down box radical (no. 13)
キョウ　ケイ (Kentei 1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
two-stroke water radical or ice radical (no. 15)
ヒョウ　こおり (Kentei 1)
engrave, cut fine, chop
コク　きざ.む (6th, N3)
sign of the hog, 9-11PM, twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac
い　ガイ　り (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
the fore-arm(厷) variant
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
knife, standing sword radical (no. 18)
トウ