瞬息万变 shùn xī wàn biàn
changing every instant; in constant flux
Literally: blink breath ten-thousand changes
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Origin
Descriptive; no single source story. Common in Qing writings about weather and warfare.
How to use it
Predicate or attributive; neutral. Often 瞬息万变的市场/局势.
Example sentences
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- 面对瞬息万变的市场,企业必须快速调整策略。Miànduì shùn xī wàn biàn de shìchǎng, qǐyè bìxū kuàisù tiáozhěng cèlüè.Facing a market that changes by the minute, companies must adjust their strategies quickly.face blink breath ten-thousand changes (particle) market, enterprise must quickly adjust strategy
- 高原上的天气瞬息万变,刚才还是晴天,现在就下起了冰雹。Gāoyuán shàng de tiānqì shùn xī wàn biàn, gāngcái hái shì qíngtiān, xiànzài jiù xià qǐ le bīngbáo.Weather on the plateau changes in an instant: a moment ago it was sunny and now it is hailing.plateau on (particle) weather blink breath ten-thousand changes, just-now still is sunny, now then fall start (particle) hail
More chengyu about time & change
- 川流不息chuān liú bù xīflowing past in an endless stream; a constant stream of people or traffic
- 层出不穷céng chū bù qióngto emerge one after another; to appear endlessly
- 稍纵即逝shāo zòng jí shìfleeting; gone in a flash if not seized
- 转瞬即逝zhuǎn shùn jí shìto pass in the blink of an eye; transient
- 沧海桑田cāng hǎi sāng tiánseas change into mulberry fields; great changes wrought by time
- 一如既往yì rú jì wǎngjust as before; consistently, as always
- 蒸蒸日上zhēng zhēng rì shàngto flourish and grow day by day; thriving
- 白驹过隙bái jū guò xìtime flies; life passes as swiftly as a white colt glimpsed through a crack