not long ago; before one knows it
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesadverb
not long ago; before one knows it; it has not been long since
literaryOften used at the beginning of a sentence to express surprise at how quickly things have changed. Literally translates to 'how much time has passed?' but used rhetorically to mean 'it hasn't been long'.
Céng曾
jǐ几
hé何
shí时
，
zhè这
lǐ里
jìng竟
fā发
shēng生
le了
nà那
me么
dà大
de的
biàn变
huà化
。
It hasn't been long, yet such great changes have occurred here.
Céng曾
jǐ几
hé何
shí时
，
wǒ我
men们
hái还
shì是
wú无
yōu忧
wú无
lǜ虑
de的
hái孩
zi子
。
It seems like just yesterday when we were still carefree children.
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Céng曾
jǐ几
hé何
shí时
，
zhè这
lǐ里
hái还
shì是
yī一
piàn片
huāng荒
dì地
，
rú如
jīn今
yǐ已
shì是
gāo高
lóu楼
lín林
lì立
。
Not long ago, this place was just a wasteland, but now it is filled with towering buildings.