年年岁岁花相似

年年歲歲花相似
Niánnián suìsuì huā xiāng sì
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 year after year the flowers look the same
  2. 2 nature repeats while human life fades
  3. 3 line by Tang poet Liu Xiyi contrasting timeless nature with mortal lives

Examples

Niánniánsuìsuìhuāxiāngsì, suìsuìniánniánrénbùtóng — — shíguāng liúshì, wùshìrénfēi.
The flowers look the same year after year, but the people change — time flows on and faces fade.
Huídào mǔxiào, niánniánsuìsuìhuāxiāngsì, zhǐshì tóngxué dōu yǐ gèbēndōngxi.
Back at my old school, the flowers look the same year after year — but classmates have all scattered.

Stroke Order

nián
suì
huā
xiāng