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cāng 沧 hǎi 海 sāng 桑 tián 田

沧海桑田 cāng hǎi sāng tián

seas change into mulberry fields; great changes wrought by time

Literally: blue sea mulberry field

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Origin

From Ge Hong's Shenxian Zhuan: the immortal Magu says she has three times seen the Eastern Sea turn into mulberry fields.

How to use it

Predicate, attributive or standalone; neutral, literary and often nostalgic. Often 沧海桑田的变化.

Example sentences

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  1. 三十年过去，家乡早已沧海桑田，变得完全陌生了。
    Sānshí nián guòqù, jiāxiāng zǎoyǐ cāng hǎi sāng tián, biàn de wánquán mòshēng le.
    Thirty years on, my hometown has been utterly transformed and become completely unfamiliar.
    thirty year pass, hometown long-ago blue sea mulberry field, become (complement particle) completely unfamiliar (particle)
  2. 这些老照片记录了这座港口城市沧海桑田的变迁。
    Zhèxiē lǎo zhàopiàn jìlù le zhè zuò gǎngkǒu chéngshì cāng hǎi sāng tián de biànqiān.
    These old photographs record the sweeping transformation of this port city.
    these old photograph record (aspect particle) this (measure) port city blue sea mulberry field (attributive particle) transformation

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