A person will not give up hope or stop pursuing something until they hit the absolute end—like reaching the point of no return. It describes stubborn persistence or refusing to accept defeat until forced to.
The Yellow River (黄河) is China's 'mother river,' often symbolizing a great obstacle or boundary. The saying implies that only when you face the ultimate barrier do you finally let go of your illusions.
It captures a common human trait—optimism or stubbornness—in a vivid geographic metaphor. Chinese people use it to comment on both admirable persistence and foolish inflexibility, depending on the tone. It's a way to warn someone that they're wasting effort on a lost cause.
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