尘埃 (chén āi) — dust (in a literary or formal register); (figurative) worldly concerns; trivial matters

Definition

Examples

• 阳光照进来，可以看见空气中漂浮的尘埃。
  Yáng guāng zhào jìn lái, kě yǐ kàn jiàn kōng qì zhōng piāo fú de chén āi.
  When the sunlight shines in, you can see the dust floating in the air.
• 这件事闹了几个月，终于尘埃落定了。
  Zhè jiàn shì nào le jǐ gè yuè, zhōng yú chén āi luò dìng le.
  This matter had been going on for months and finally came to a resolution.
• 他不愿为世俗尘埃所累，一心追求艺术。
  Tā bú yuàn wéi shì sú chén āi suǒ lěi, yì xīn zhuī qiú yì shù.
  He doesn't want to be burdened by worldly dust, devoting himself entirely to art.

Origin