Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭 | guāngyīnsìjiàn |
| 時光飛逝 / 时光飞逝 | shíguāngfēishì |
| 時日如飛 / 时日如飞 | shírìrúfēi |
| 光陰荏苒 / 光阴荏苒 | guāngyīnrénrǎn |
| 轉眼間 / 转眼间 | zhuányǎnjiān |
These expressions are used to describe how time seems to pass very quickly. For example, 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭 is frequently used to urge someone to study hard or work diligently, reminding them that time is passing too quickly to be wasted.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭 literally means 'time is like an arrow'.
Which one should you use?
The different forms vary in their nuance and structure. While 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭 emphasizes the high speed of time by comparing it to an arrow, 光陰荏苒 / 光阴荏苒 is a more neutral way to describe the steady, continuous passage of time. 時光飛逝 / 时光飞逝 is often used in more poetic or sentimental contexts, such as in literature or songs, to describe how time flies away. 時日如飛 / 时日如飞 is another way to express the speed of time. In contrast to these four-character idioms, 轉眼間 / 转眼间 is a common adverbial phrase used in everyday speech to mean 'in the blink of an eye'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The four-character idioms like 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭, 時光飛逝 / 时光飞逝 and 時日如飛 / 时日如飞 are more formal. The phrase 时间匆匆流逝 is a formal way to say 'Time passes quickly', and 时光如梭 is a formal way to say 'Time flies like an arrow'. For everyday speech, 轉眼間 / 转眼间 is the most common choice.
How do you pronounce it?
guāngyīnsìjiàn
Did you know?
- While the English phrase compares time to a flying thing, one common Chinese variation, 时光如梭 / 时光如梭, compares time to a 'shuttle' on a weaving loom. This paints a picture of time moving back and forth rapidly through a fabric.
- In Chinese, the word for 'time' in these idioms is often 光陰 / 光阴, which can also literally mean 'light and shadow'. This reflects an ancient philosophical view of time as the movement of light and shadow.
- The idiom 光陰似箭 / 光阴似箭 is actually a quote from a Tang Dynasty poem by Wei Zhuang. It was originally part of a verse describing the fleeting nature of life and time.
Examples in context
- 今年的时间匆匆流逝，我们已经过了半年了！Time has passed quickly this year, we are already halfway through!
- 时光如梭，不经意间我们已经快要毕业了。Time flies, and before we know it, we are about to graduate.
- 孩子们的成长让我感叹时光飞逝。The children's growth makes me marvel at how time flies.
- 光阴似箭，转眼间儿子已经长大成人了。Time flies like an arrow, in the blink of an eye, my son has grown up.
- 青春年华光阴易逝，应该好好把握每一天。Youthful years are fleeting, we should seize every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “time flies” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 光陰似箭, CC BY-SA 4.0.
