📖 Meaning
This idiom refers to a very brief period of time, a fleeting moment. It conveys that something happens or can be accomplished in just a short while. The phrase emphasizes the transience or brevity of time.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from the Yuan dynasty playwright Zheng Guangzu's work 'The Soul of Qian'nu Leaves the Body' (倩女离魂), Act Two. In the play, the protagonist looks at the vast mountains and rivers before her and declares that all those seemingly endless distances can be crossed in merely a moment. The line vividly contrasts the immensity of the landscape with the brevity of time needed to traverse it, highlighting the power of determination.
💡 Example Usage
这事一时半霎说不清楚，改天再细谈吧。
This matter can't be explained in a brief moment; let's discuss it in detail another day.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一时半霎
- Pinyin: yī shí bàn shà
- Literal Translation: one moment, half instant
- Category: Time
- Characters: 4