飞逝 (fēi shì) — to fly by (of time), to pass swiftly | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A literary verb meaning time flies by or passes swiftly — typically used for 时光 (time) or 岁月 (years), not for actions. More formal and written than the colloquial 过得快.

verb

to fly by (of time)to pass swiftly

Examples

飞逝，。
Shí guāng fēi shì, zhuǎn yǎn jiān wǒ men yǐ jīng bì yè shí nián le.
Time flies; in the blink of an eye, we've already graduated for ten years.
飞逝，。
Suì yuè fēi shì, fù mǔ de bái fà yuè lái yuè duō le.
Years pass swiftly; our parents' white hair is increasing.
飞逝。
Kuài lè de shí guāng zǒng shì fēi shì dé tè bié kuài.
Happy times always fly by especially fast.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

The 飞 (fly) and 逝 (pass) combine to mean time passes swiftly.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 飛; 飞 is its simplified writing.

For 飞, the traditional form 飛 pictures a bird flying upwards.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalking

Sound part声符shēngfú

折

折zhé逝shì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逝 combines 辵, a walking part, with 折, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Time (Abstract)

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