waste time; idle away; let time slip by
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to waste time; to let time slip by; to idle away (one's time or years)
literaryPrimarily used in written or literary contexts. Often appears in set phrases like '蹉跎岁月' (wasting the years) or '岁月蹉跎' (time slips away). Carries a connotation of regret for missed opportunities.
Suì岁
yuè月
cuō蹉
tuó跎
，
zhuǎn转
yǎn眼
jiān间
tā他
yǐ已
bái白
fà发
cāng苍
cāng苍
。
Time slipped away, and in the blink of an eye, his hair had turned completely white.
Bù不
yào要
yī一
zài再
cuō蹉
tuó跎
，
cuò错
shī失
liáng良
jī机
。
Don't keep wasting time and missing good opportunities.
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Tā他
zhěng整
rì日
wú无
suǒ所
shì事
shì事
，
cuō蹉
tuó跎
guāng光
yīn阴
。
He does nothing all day, idling away his time.
Cuō蹉
tuó跎
suì岁
yuè月
lìng令
rén人
huǐ悔
hèn恨
。
Wasting one's years leads to deep regret.