恍如隔世

Pronunciation: huǎng rú gé shì Literal meaning: Dimly as if separated by lifetimes

Origin & Usage

This idiom describes the disorienting feeling of being dimly (恍) as if (如) separated (隔) by different lifetimes or eras (世). It captures the profound sense of discontinuity when change makes the past seem impossibly distant. The phrase appeared in literary texts describing characters awakening from long dreams or returning after extended absences. It draws on Buddhist concepts of multiple lifetimes and the impermanence of all things. Modern usage describes experiencing dramatic change that makes previous times feel like another existence entirely.

When to Use

Situation: Returning after twenty years, the changes made him feel as if ages had passed.

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