Meaning:

Literally meaning “to go ashore,” this term is used as a metaphor by Chinese netizens to refer to the scenario where a person has finally achieved a goal after lengthy and strenuous effort. Most often, the term is used when a person has passed the exams and interviews to get enrolled at a prestigious university or get hired as a civil servant, or has paid off all their debts.

Example:

A: 你的孩子上大学了吧？

Nǐ de háizi shàng dàxué le ba？

Did your kid go to college already?

B: 是的，今年秋天刚刚入学，在哈佛学法律。

Shì de，jīnnián qiūtiān gānggāng rùxué，zài hāfó xué fǎlǜ。

Yeah, he became a law student at Harvard University just this fall semester.

A: 经过这么多年的努力终于上岸了。

Jīngguò zhèmeduō nián de nǔlì zhōngyú shàng’àn le。

He finally achieved the goal of getting enrolled by a top university after years of effort.