📖 Meaning
Times change and the world changes along with them. It describes how eras and social conditions shift over time, so that past customs and norms no longer apply to the present.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from '钱神论' (On the God of Money), a satirical essay by Lu Bao of the Jin Dynasty. In the essay, Lu Bao critiques the money-worshipping culture of his era, arguing that with times changing and customs evolving from ancient to modern, empty philosophical discourse (清谈) is useless for solving urgent practical problems. The work is a sharp commentary on how shifting social conditions render old intellectual habits obsolete.
💡 Example Usage
时易世变，我们不应再用旧标准衡量今天的事物。
Times change and the world moves on; we should no longer judge today's affairs by old standards.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 时易世变
- Pinyin: shí yì shì biàn
- Literal Translation: time, change, world, change
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4