shí时timeguò过passjìng境circumstanceqiān迁change
Time passes, circumstances shift — what was true once may not be now.
Literal meaning
time (时) — pass (过) — circumstance (境) — change (迁)
Origin
A classical four-character compression of the Buddhist-influenced observation that nothing stays fixed: both 时 (time) and 境 (circumstance) move. Used since the Tang dynasty in reflective writing about historical and personal change.
Examples
Shí时guò过jìng境qiān迁，guò过qù去de的shì事bú不yào要zài再tí提le了。
Times have changed — let's not bring up old things.
Shí时guò过jìng境qiān迁，chéng城shì市biàn变le了yàng样zi子。
Times have shifted — the city looks different now.
Usage & nuances
Reflective tone. Often invoked to suggest letting go of past judgments or grievances.
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