📖 Meaning
Refers to people coming and going in all directions, describing the constant movement of travelers or the bustle of a busy place. It often carries a poetic undertone of life's transience, as people drift south and north while time slips away.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's poem 'Han River' (《汉江》), where he wrote: '南去北来人自老，夕阳长送钓船归' (People go south and come north, growing old; the setting sun forever sees the fishing boats home). The line captures the melancholy of watching travelers pass by while one ages. Later, Song Dynasty poet Wang Anshi echoed it in his poem 'Farewell to Wu Xiandao' (《送吴显道》), reinforcing its classical association with the passage of time and the restlessness of human life.
💡 Example Usage
南去北来几十年，他早已习惯了漂泊的生活。
Going south and coming north for decades, he had long grown accustomed to a life of wandering.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 南去北来
- Pinyin: nán qù běi lái
- Literal Translation: south, go, north, come
- Category: Action
- Characters: 4