guāng光lightyīn阴shadowsì似likejiàn箭arrow
Time passes like an arrow — fast and irreversible.
Literal meaning
light (光) — shadow (阴) — like (似) — arrow (箭)
Origin
A traditional four-character phrase whose components — 光阴 (light and shadow, i.e. time) and 似箭 (like an arrow) — already appeared in Tang poetry separately. The fused form became canonical in late-imperial Chinese as the standard image for fast time.
Examples
Guāng光yīn阴sì似jiàn箭，zhuǎn转yǎn眼yòu又guò过le了yì一nián年。
Time flies — another year has slipped by.
Guāng光yīn阴sì似jiàn箭，yào要zhēn珍xī惜měi每yì一tiān天。
Time flies — make every day count.
Usage & nuances
Standard time-flies idiom. Often opens a reflective essay or speech.
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