光阴似箭 guāng yīn sì jiàn
time flies like an arrow
Literally: light shadow like arrow
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Origin
From a Tang poem by Wei Zhuang: 'Time flies like an arrow, urging one to age', often paired with 日月如梭.
How to use it
Standalone or predicate; neutral, slightly wistful. Often 光阴似箭,日月如梭.
Example sentences
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- 光阴似箭，我们毕业已经五年了。Guāng yīn sì jiàn, wǒmen bìyè yǐjīng wǔ nián le.Time flies like an arrow; it's already been five years since we graduated.light shadow like arrow, we graduate already five year (particle)
- 真是光阴似箭，孩子一转眼就长大了。Zhēnshi guāng yīn sì jiàn, háizi yī zhuǎnyǎn jiù zhǎngdà le.Time really flies; in the blink of an eye the children have grown up.truly light shadow like arrow, child one blink then grow-up (particle)
More chengyu about time & change
- 一日千里yī rì qiān lǐto advance at a tremendous pace; by leaps and bounds
- 千载难逢qiān zǎi nán féngonce in a lifetime; extremely rare opportunity
- 与时俱进yǔ shí jù jìnto keep pace with the times; to move with the times
- 迫在眉睫pò zài méi jiéextremely urgent; imminent
- 今非昔比jīn fēi xī bǐthe present cannot be compared with the past; things have changed enormously
- 岁月如梭suì yuè rú suōtime flies like a weaver's shuttle; how quickly the years pass
- 昙花一现tán huā yī xiàna flash in the pan; short-lived like the night-blooming cereus
- 不知不觉bù zhī bù juéunconsciously; before one knows it