各奔东西 (gè bèn dōng xī) — to go separate ways (idiom); to part ways

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'each goes their own way' — used when people who were together (classmates, colleagues, lovers) finally separate to pursue different futures.

verb
to go separate ways (idiom)to part ways

Examples

  • ，各奔东西，。
    Dà xué bì yè hòu, tóng xué men gè bèn dōng xī, gè bèn qián chéng.
    After graduating from university, classmates went their separate ways, each pursuing their own future.
  • ，各奔东西。
    Tā men hé zuò le shí nián, zuì hòu hái shì gè bèn dōng xī le.
    They had worked together for ten years, but in the end they parted ways.
  • 各奔东西。
    Zhè duì liàn rén yīn wèi zhì xiàng bù tóng ér gè bèn dōng xī.
    This couple went separate ways because they had different aspirations.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

各 shows a sole of a foot (夂) coming into an entrance (口), for the sense of coming or entering.

Open 各 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

奔 combines 人 (person) and 止 (foot), giving the picture of a person moving on foot.

Open 奔 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 東; 东 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 東 originally drew a full bag tied at both ends. The simplified 东 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 东 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 西 →

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