擦身而过

擦身而過

cāshēn'érguò

phrase

Meanings

1 to brush past
2 to pass right next to (someone or something)
3 (figurative) to narrowly miss out on

Characters

to rub / brush against

and / yet (classical conjunction)

Examples

我们在街上擦身而过，谁也没认出谁。

Wǒmen zài jiē shàng cāshēn'érguò, shuí yě méi rèn chū shuí.

We brushed past each other on the street, and neither recognized the other.

他与冠军擦身而过。

Tā yǔ guànjūn cāshēn'érguò.

He just barely missed out on the championship.

Tips

usage

The figurative sense ('narrowly miss') is at least as common as the literal one — used for opportunities, prizes, lovers, or fate. 与...擦身而过 ('brush past with…') is the standard frame.

Stroke Order

擦 cā

身 shēn

而 ér

过 guò