恍如隔世 as if separated by a world
Explanation
形容因时间久远或人事变迁巨大而引起的如同隔了一个时代的感觉。
Describes the feeling of being transported to a different world due to the passage of a long time or major changes.
Origin Story
老张退休后回到了阔别已久的故乡。儿时的伙伴们早已各自奔波，家乡也发生了翻天覆地的变化，高楼大厦拔地而起，街道宽阔整洁，处处洋溢着现代的气息。老张漫步在熟悉的街道上，看着眼前的一切，心中感慨万千，恍如隔世。他仿佛回到了童年，又仿佛置身于一个完全陌生的世界。记忆中的小河不见了，取而代之的是一条宽阔的河流；记忆中的泥土路变成了平坦的水泥路；记忆中低矮的房屋变成了高耸入云的大楼。这一切都让他感到无比陌生，却又无比亲切。他仿佛看到了故乡的过去，也看到了故乡的未来。他感受到故乡的巨大变化，也感受到故乡依然不变的淳朴民风。这次返乡之行，让老张对故乡有了更深刻的认识，也让他对人生有了更深刻的思考。他明白了，时光的流逝是无法改变的，而人生的变迁则是永恒的主题。
After retiring, Lao Zhang returned to his long-lost hometown. His childhood friends had long since gone their separate ways, and his hometown had undergone earth-shattering changes. High-rise buildings rose from the ground, streets were wide and clean, and everywhere exuded a modern atmosphere. Walking on the familiar streets, Lao Zhang felt deep emotion, as if he were in a different world. He seemed to be back in his childhood, yet he felt like he was in a completely unfamiliar world. The creek from his memory was gone, replaced by a broad river; the muddy dirt road of his memory had become a flat cement road; the low houses of his memory had become towering skyscrapers. All of this felt incredibly strange, yet incredibly familiar to him. It was as though he could see his hometown's past and its future. He felt his hometown’s vast changes and yet its unchanging simple and honest nature. This trip back home gave Lao Zhang a deeper understanding of his hometown and prompted him to reflect deeply on life. He understood that the passage of time is unchangeable, but the changes in life are an eternal theme.
Usage
用于表达因时间或环境变迁巨大而产生的感觉，多用于描写场景或感受。
Used to express the feeling created by significant changes in time or environment; often used to describe scenes or feelings.
Examples
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故宫的变迁，令人恍如隔世。
gu gong de bian qian, ling ren huang ru ge shi
The changes in the Forbidden City make one feel as if it's a different world.
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十年未见，再次重逢，恍如隔世。
shi nian wei jian, zai ci chong feng, huang ru ge shi
After ten years of absence, the reunion felt like a different world