流逝

liúshì

verb #8,418

Meanings

Literally 'flow and pass' — used almost exclusively for time passing.

时间在慢慢流逝。

Shíjiān zài mànmàn liúshì.

Time is slowly slipping away.

岁月流逝，他变了很多。

Suìyuè liúshì, tā biàn le hěnduō.

As the years passed, he changed a lot.

不要让时间白白流逝。

Bùyào ràng shíjiān báibái liúshì.

Don't let time slip away for nothing.

流逝 is literary and poetic. In everyday speech, people say 过去了 (guòqù le) or 过了 (guò le) for time passing. Use 流逝 in writing or when being expressive.

memory

流 (flow) + 逝 (pass away) — time flows away like water in a river, never to return.

流 liú

逝 shì