时过境迁 shí guò jìng qiān Times have changed

Explanation

指随着时间推移，环境、形势、情况等都发生了变化。

Refers to changes in environment, situation, circumstances, etc., over time.

Origin Story

古代有一位书生名叫李文，他家住在一个山村里。从小，他便立志要考取功名，光宗耀祖。为了实现自己的目标，他每天都刻苦学习，废寝忘食。终于，功夫不负有心人，他考上了进士，被朝廷授予了官职，从此过上了荣华富贵的生活。他回到家乡，发现家乡的变化很大，昔日简陋的房屋被拆掉了，建起了高楼大厦，昔日泥泞的道路被铺上了水泥路，昔日贫穷的山村，已经变成了繁荣的城镇。他感慨万千，昔日熟悉的地方，已经变得如此陌生。他想起自己的好友王平，便去拜访他。王平告诉他，他现在已经是一位富商，拥有了无数的田产，过着富裕的生活。李文不禁感叹，时过境迁，物是人非，往事已成过眼云烟。

gǔ dài yǒu yī wèi shū shēng jiào lǐ wén, tā jiā zhù zài yī gè shān cūn lǐ. cóng xiǎo, tā biàn lì zhì yào kǎo qǔ gōng míng, guāng zōng zǔ zǔ. wèi le shí xiàn zì jǐ de mù biāo, tā měi tiān dōu kè kǔ xué xí, fèi qǐn wàng shí. zhōng yú, gōng fū bù fù yǒu xīn rén, tā kǎo shàng le jìn shì, bèi chéng tiáo shòu yǔ le guān zhí, cóng cǐ guò shàng le róng huá fù guì de shēng huó. tā huí dào jiā xiāng, fā xiàn jiā xiāng de biàn huà hěn dà, xī rì jiǎn lòu de fáng wū bèi chāi diào le, jiàn qǐ le gāo lóu dà shà, xī rì ní nìng de dào lù bèi pù shàng le shuǐ ní lù, xī rì pín qióng de shān cūn, yǐ jīng biàn chéng le fán róng de chéng zhèn. tā gǎn kǎi wàn qiān, xī rì shú xī de dì fang, yǐ jīng biàn de rú cǐ mò sheng. tā xiǎng qǐ zì jǐ de hǎo yǒu wáng píng, biàn qù bài fǎng tā. wáng píng gào sù tā, tā xiàn zài yǐ jīng shì yī wèi fù shāng, yōng yǒu le wú shù de tián chǎn, guò zhe fù yù de shēng huó. lǐ wén bù jīn gǎn tàn, shí guò jìng qiān, wù shì rén fēi, wǎng shì yǐ chéng guò yǎn yún yān.

In ancient times, there was a scholar named Li Wen who lived in a mountain village. From a young age, he aspired to pass the civil service examinations and bring glory to his ancestors. To achieve his goal, he studied hard every day, neglecting sleep and food. Finally, his efforts paid off, he passed the civil service examinations and was appointed to a government position, and from then on lived a life of wealth and luxury. He returned to his hometown and found that his hometown had changed greatly. The old dilapidated houses had been demolished and replaced by high-rise buildings, the muddy roads had been paved with concrete, and the once-poor mountain village had become a prosperous town. He was deeply moved, the familiar places had become so unfamiliar to him. He remembered his friend Wang Ping and went to visit him. Wang Ping told him that he was now a rich businessman, owning countless acres of land and living a wealthy life. Li Wen couldn't help but sigh, times had changed, things were no longer the same, the past had become a distant memory.

Usage

这个成语常用来形容事物随着时间推移发生的变化。

zhè ge chéng yǔ cháng yòng lái xíng róng shì wù suí zhe shí jiān tuī yí fā shēng de biàn huà.

This idiom is often used to describe changes in things over time.

Examples

• 随着时间的推移，人事变迁，往事早已时过境迁了。

  suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí, rén shì biàn qiān, wǎng shì zǎo yǐ shí guò jìng qiān le.

  As time goes by, things change and the past is long gone.

• 以前，我们住的地方离学校很近，现在时过境迁，搬家了，住的地方离学校远了。

  yǐ qián, wǒ men zhù de dì fang lí xué xiào hěn jìn, xiàn zài shí guò jìng qiān, bān jiā le, zhù de dì fang lí xué xiào yuǎn le.

  We used to live near the school, but times have changed, we've moved, and now we live further away from the school.

• 科技发展日新月异，时过境迁，曾经的幻想已经成为了现实。

  kē jì fā zhǎn rì xīn yuè yì, shí guò jìng qiān, céng jīng de huàn xiǎng yǐ jīng chéng le xiàn shí.

  Technology is developing rapidly, and what was once a fantasy is now a reality.

• 世事变迁，时过境迁，曾经的梦想已不再遥不可及。

  shì shì biàn qiān, shí guò jìng qiān, céng jīng de mèng xiǎng yǐ bù zài yáo bù kě jí.

  The world is changing, and what was once a dream is now attainable.

• 三十年河东，三十年河西，时过境迁，昔日辉煌不再

  sān shí nián hé dōng, sān shí nián hé xī, shí guò jìng qiān, xī rì huī huáng bù zài

  Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, times change and the past glory is no more

Related Idioms

• 时移世易

• 沧海桑田

Opposite Idioms

• 一成不变

• 一成不变