过眼云烟

過眼雲煙

guòyǎn-yúnyān

idiom #24,969

Meanings

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 guòyǎnyúnyān.

Wealth and glory are nothing but passing clouds to him.

往事如过眼云烟，不必再提。

Wǎngshì rú guòyǎnyúnyān, 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