白驹过隙
白驹过隙 (bái jū guò xì) literally means “white colt passes crack” and expresses “time flies swiftly”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: bai ju guo xi, bai ju guo xi,白驹过隙 meaning, 白驹过隙 in english
Time flies swiftly
Pronunciation: bái jū guò xì Literal meaning: White colt passes crack
Origin & Usage
The Zhuangzi asks what a human life is between heaven and earth and answers: a white colt (白驹) glimpsed through (过) a gap in the wall (隙), and then it is over. Everything in the image is doing work — the horse is at a gallop, the crack is narrow, and the observer's view is fixed. The retrospective sense that a long period went past without being noticed is what it names, which is why it belongs to memorials, reunions and the end of the year.
Examples
English: "Time flies, and before we know it, years have passed like a white horse through a narrow gap."
Chinese: 时光荏苒，白驹过隙。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Shirk effort by preference
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Push far enough and it turns
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīn
Value time preciously
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 白驹过隙 mean in English?
白驹过隙 (bái jū guò xì) literally translates to “White colt passes crack” and is used to express “Time flies swiftly”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 白驹过隙 used?
Situation: Time flies, and before we know it, years have passed like a white horse through a narrow gap.
What is the pinyin for 白驹过隙?
The pinyin pronunciation for 白驹过隙 is “bái jū guò xì”.