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

HSK 3

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.

HSK 5

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