岁月蹉跎 Time slips away
Explanation
指时间白白流逝，虚度光阴。含有惋惜之意。
Means that time has passed idly, time has been wasted. It implies regret.
Origin Story
唐朝诗人李颀，壮志未酬，中年才考中进士，做过新乡县令，后因不得志辞官归隐，专心创作诗歌。他的朋友魏万去长安应试，李颀写下了著名的送别诗《送魏万之京》。“关城曙色催寒近，御苑砧声向晚多。莫见长安行乐处，空费岁月易蹉跎。”诗中表达了对朋友的鼓励，也隐含着自己年华老去，时光流逝的惋惜。李颀的一生，虽然在仕途上并不顺利，但他始终坚持自己的理想，用诗歌记录生活，表达情感，他的诗歌也流传至今，成为千古名篇。这首诗也反映了当时许多文人的共同心境：怀才不遇，壮志难酬，面对着岁月的流逝，心中充满了无奈和惋惜。
Li Qi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, whose ambitions remained unfulfilled, passed the imperial examination in middle age and served as the prefect of Xinxiang. Later, due to dissatisfaction, he resigned and devoted himself to poetry. When his friend Wei Wan went to Chang'an for the examination, Li Qi wrote the famous farewell poem "Sending Wei Wan to the Capital": "关城曙色催寒近，御苑砧声向晚多。莫见长安行乐处，空费岁月易蹉跎。" The poem expresses encouragement for his friend, but also implicitly contains regret for the passing of time. Although Li Qi's career was not successful, he always adhered to his ideals and recorded his life and emotions in poetry. His poems have been preserved to this day and are considered masterpieces. This poem also reflects the common mood of many literati at that time: the feeling of not being able to realize their talents, the unfulfilled great ambitions. In the face of the passage of time, they were filled with helplessness and regret.
Usage
作谓语、宾语；含惋惜意。
As predicate, object; with regret.
Examples
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他自从下海经商后，几年时间，岁月蹉跎，一事无成。
ta zicong xiahǎi jingshang hou, ji nian shijian, suiyue cuotuó, yishi wu cheng.
Since he went into business, several years have passed, and he has accomplished nothing.
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空想只会让你岁月蹉跎，只有行动才能创造未来。
kong xiang zhi hui rang ni suiyue cuotuó, zhiyou xingdongcaineng chuangzao weilai
Daydreaming will only let your time slip away; only action can create the future.