各奔前程 (gè bèn qián chéng) — each goes his own way; each pursues his own future

Definition

An idiom meaning people who were once together now separate and pursue their own futures. Often used with a tone of parting or moving on, not conflict.

idiom
each goes his own wayeach pursues his own future

Examples

  • ，各奔前程，。
    Dà xué bì yè hòu, tóng xué men gè bèn qián chéng, kāi shǐ le gè zì de shēng huó.
    After graduating from university, classmates each went their own way and started their own lives.
  • ，各奔前程，。
    Xiàng mù jié shù hòu, tuán duì chéng yuán gè bèn qián chéng, xún zhǎo xīn de jī huì.
    After the project ended, team members each pursued their own course and looked for new opportunities.
  • ，各奔前程。
    Suī rán wǒ men céng jīng yì qǐ fèn dòu, dàn rú jīn zhǐ néng gè bèn qián chéng.
    Although we once struggled together, now we can only go our separate ways.

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 →

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

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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