似曾相识

似曾相識
sìcéng-xiāngshí
idiom HSK 7-9 #13,034

Meanings

  1. 1 déjà vu
  2. 2 seemingly familiar
  3. 3 to seem to have met before

Characters

Literally 'seems to have previously known each other' - a feeling of familiarity

Examples

HSK 3
Zhège dìfang gěi wǒ yī zhǒng sìcéng-xiāngshí de gǎnjué.
This place gives me a feeling of déjà vu.
HSK 6
Tā de xiàoróng ràng wǒ juéde sìcéng-xiāngshí.
Her smile seemed strangely familiar.

Tips

history
This phrase comes from the Song Dynasty poet 晏殊: 无可奈何花落去似曾相识燕归来 - 'Helplessly, flowers fall; as if familiar, the swallows return.'

Stroke Order

céng
xiāng
shí