一去不复返

一去不復返

yīqùbùfùfǎn

idiom #16,891

Meanings

1 gone forever
2 gone and never to return

Characters

Literally 'once gone, never again returns'.

Examples

那些美好的日子一去不复返了。

Nàxiē měihǎo de rìzi yīqùbùfùfǎn le.

Those beautiful days are gone forever.

青春一去不复返，要好好珍惜。

Qīngchūn yīqùbùfùfǎn, yào hǎohǎo zhēnxī.

Youth is gone forever once it passes — cherish it.

Tips

history

From a famous line by the warrior Jing Ke (荆轲) before his assassination attempt on the King of Qin: '风萧萧兮易水寒，壮士一去兮不复还' — 'The wind howls and the Yi River runs cold; the brave warrior departs and will never return.'

Stroke Order

一 yī

去 qù

不 bù

复 fù

返 fǎn