shí时timeguāng光lightrěn荏sliprǎn苒gentle
Time slips quietly by.
Literal meaning
time (时) — light (光) — slip (荏) — gentle (苒)
Origin
A literary phrase from classical poetry — 荏苒 specifically captures the imperceptible, sliding quality of passing time (different from 似箭 which emphasises speed). Used in reflective, often melancholy writing.
Examples
Shí时guāng光rěn荏rǎn苒，lǎo老péng朋yǒu友dōu都bú不jiàn见le了。
Time slips by — old friends drift away.
Shí时guāng光rěn荏rǎn苒，zhuǎn转yǎn眼dào到le了tuì退xiū休de的nián年jì纪。
Time slipped by — suddenly I'm at retirement age.
Usage & nuances
Literary, reflective tone. Common in essays and personal writing; less in everyday speech.
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