擦肩而过

擦肩而過

cājiān'érguò

idiom #19,413

Meanings

HSK 2

他和这个机会擦肩而过了。

Tā hé zhège jīhuì cājiān'érguò le.

He narrowly missed this opportunity.

HSK 5

我们在街上擦肩而过，却没有认出彼此。

Wǒmen zài jiēshàng cājiān'érguò, què méiyǒu rènchū bǐcǐ.

We brushed past each other on the street without recognizing each other.

usage

Often used figuratively to describe narrowly missing an opportunity, a person, or even danger - not just physically passing by someone.

memory

Picture two people's shoulders 肩 brushing 擦 as they pass 过 each other - so close yet they miss the connection.

擦 cā

肩 jiān

而 ér

过 guò