过眼云烟

過眼雲煙

guòyǎn-yúnyān

idiom #24,969

Meanings

HSK 7-9

那些荣华富贵，对他来说不过是过眼云烟。

Nàxiē rónghuá fùguì, duì tā láishuō bùguò shì guòyǎn-yúnyān.

Wealth and glory are nothing but passing clouds to him.

HSK 7-9

往事如过眼云烟，不必再提。

Wǎngshì rú guòyǎn-yúnyān, bùbì zài tí.

The past is like passing clouds, no need to bring it up again.

memory

Picture clouds drifting past your eyes (过眼), a perfectly visual image for something beautiful but momentary that cannot be held onto.

过 guò

眼 yǎn

云 yún

烟 yān