一面之缘 yī miàn zhī yuán fleeting encounter

Explanation

指只见过一次面，没有深入交往。

Refers to someone you have only met once and have no deep relationship with.

Origin Story

在一个热闹的茶馆里，一位衣着朴素的老人正在与一位年轻女子谈话。老人的脸上带着微笑，仿佛回忆着什么美好的往事。年轻人好奇地问道：“您和这位姑娘，看起来关系很好啊？”老人叹了口气，说道：“我们只有一面之缘，是在十年前的一场大火中认识的。当时我正在街上走着，突然看到一家店铺着火了，人群一片混乱。我看到一个年轻女子正在拼命地救火，她的头发被烧焦了，脸上沾满了灰尘，但依然没有放弃。我被她的勇气和善良所感动，就上前帮她一起灭火。后来，大火被扑灭了，我们也匆匆告别了。从此以后，我们再也没有见过面。但我一直记得她的样子，她那善良的眼神，那勇敢的行动。我经常想起她，想起那一次难忘的相遇，我把它称作一面之缘，虽然只有一面之缘，但她的勇气和善良一直深深地刻在我的心里。”年轻人听完老人的故事，也沉默了一会儿，然后说：“是啊，有些相遇虽然短暂，却可以改变人的一生。”

zài yī gè rè nào de chá guǎn lǐ, yī wèi yī zhuó pǔ sù de lǎo rén zhèng zài yǔ yī wèi nián qīng nǚ shì tán huà. lǎo rén de liǎn shàng dài zhe wēi xiào, fǎng fú huí yì zhe shén me měi hǎo de wǎng shì. nián qīng rén hào qí de wèn dào: “nín hé zhè wèi gū niang, kàn qǐ lái guān xì hěn hǎo a?” lǎo rén tàn le yī kǒu qì, shuō dào: “wǒ men zhǐ yǒu yī miàn zhī yuán, shì zài shí nián qián de yī chǎng dà huǒ zhōng rèn shí de. dāng shí wǒ zhèng zài jiē shàng zǒu zhe, tú rán kàn dào yī jiā diàn pù zhuó huǒ le, rén qún yī piàn hùn luàn. wǒ kàn dào yī gè nián qīng nǚ shì zhèng zài pīn mìng de jiù huǒ, tā de tóu fǎ bèi shāo jiāo le, liǎn shàng zhān mǎn le huī chén, dàn yī rán méi yǒu fàng qì. wǒ bèi tā de yǒng qì hé shàn liáng suǒ gǎn dòng, jiù shàng qián bāng tā yī qǐ miè huǒ. hòu lái, dà huǒ bèi pū miè le, wǒ men yě cōng cōng bié liè le. cóng cǐ yǐ hòu, wǒ men zài yě méi yǒu jiàn guò miàn. dàn wǒ yī zhí jì de tā de yàng zi, tā nà shàn liáng de yǎn shén, nà yǒng gǎn de xíng dòng. wǒ jīng cháng xiǎng qǐ tā, xiǎng qǐ nà yī cì nán wàng de xiāng yù, wǒ bǎ tā chēng zuò yī miàn zhī yuán, suī rán zhǐ yǒu yī miàn zhī yuán, dàn tā de yǒng qì hé shàn liáng yī zhí shēn shēn de kè zài wǒ de xīn lǐ.” nián qīng rén tīng wán lǎo rén de gù shì, yě chén mò le yī huì er, rán hòu shuō: “ā, yǒu xiē xiāng yù suī rán duǎn zàn, què kě yǐ gǎi biàn rén de yī shēng.”

In a bustling teahouse, a plainly dressed old man was talking to a young woman. The old man had a smile on his face, as if he were recalling some happy past event. The young man curiously asked, “You seem to have a very good relationship with this girl.” The old man sighed and said, “We only met once, ten years ago during a big fire. I was walking on the street when I saw a shop catching fire, and the people were in a panic. I saw a young woman desperately trying to put out the fire. Her hair was scorched, her face was covered in soot, but she didn't give up. I was touched by her courage and kindness, so I stepped forward to help her put out the fire. Later, the fire was put out, and we said goodbye in a hurry. We have never met again since then. But I always remember her appearance, her kind eyes, her brave actions. I often think of her, of that unforgettable encounter. I call it a fleeting encounter, but her courage and kindness have always been deeply etched in my heart.” The young man was silent for a moment after hearing the old man's story, and then said, “Yes, some encounters may be short-lived, but they can change a person's life.”

Usage

用于形容与某人仅仅见过一次面，没有深入交往。

yòng yú xíng róng yǔ mǒu rén jǐn jǐn jiàn guò yī cì miàn, méi yǒu shēn rù jiāo wǎng.

Used to describe someone you have only met once and have no deep relationship with.

Examples

• 我和他只有一面之缘，不太熟悉。

  wǒ hé tā zhǐ yǒu yī miàn zhī yuán, bù tài shú xī.

  I only met him once, so I don't know him very well.

• 这次活动中，我与一位来自法国的作家只有一面之缘，但他的谈吐和思想让我印象深刻。

  zhè cì huó dòng zhōng, wǒ yǔ yī wèi lái zì fǎ guó de zuò jiā zhǐ yǒu yī miàn zhī yuán, dàn tā de tán tǔ hé sī xiǎng ràng wǒ yìn xiàng shēn kè.

  I met him only once, but he is an interesting person.

• 他只是个一面之缘的朋友，谈不上深交。

  tā zhǐ shì gè yī miàn zhī yuán de péng yǒu, tán bù shàng shēn jiāo.

  I only met him once, but I remember him well.

Related Idioms

• 一面之交

• 点头之交

Opposite Idioms

• 生死之交

• 患难之交

• 刎颈之交