one day apart seems like three years; yearning intensely
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
one day apart feels like three years; intense longing for someone
literaryDerived from the Book of Songs (《诗经•王风•采葛》): '一日不见，如三秋兮。' Used to describe how time drags when one misses a loved one.
Tā他
men们
fēn分
bié别
cái才
liǎng两
tiān天
，
tā他
què却
jué觉
de得
yī一
rì日
sān三
qiū秋
，
dù度
rì日
rú如
nián年
。
They had only been apart for two days, yet he felt as if three years had passed, with each day dragging like a year.
Rè热
liàn恋
zhōng中
de的
qíng情
lǚ侣
zǒng总
shì是
yī一
rì日
sān三
qiū秋
，
hèn恨
bu不
de得
shí时
shí时
kè刻
kè刻
zài在
yī一
qǐ起
。
Couples in passionate love always feel that one day apart seems like three years, wishing they could be together every single moment.
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Zì自
cóng从
ér儿
zi子
chū出
guó国
liú留
xué学
，
tā她
yī一
rì日
sān三
qiū秋
，
měi每
tiān天
dōu都
zài在
jì计
suàn算
guī归
qī期
。
Ever since her son went abroad to study, she has been yearning for him intensely, counting the days until his return every single day.