歲不我與

Chinese

		year; years old; (a measure word)	not; no	I; me	and; to give; together with and; to give; together with; take part in; (interrog. part.)
trad. (歲不我與)		歲	不	我	與
simp. (岁不我与)		岁	不	我	与
Literally: “the years do not wait for us”.

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 17 (《論語·陽貨》). Yang Huo (陽貨) is trying to persuade Confucius into taking office:

曰：「懷其寶而迷其邦，可謂仁乎？」曰：「不可。」「好從事而亟失時，可謂知乎？」曰：「不可。」「日月逝矣，歲不我與。」孔子曰：「諾。吾將仕矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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曰：「怀其宝而迷其邦，可谓仁乎？」曰：「不可。」「好从事而亟失时，可谓知乎？」曰：「不可。」「日月逝矣，岁不我与。」孔子曰：「诺。吾将仕矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yuē: “Huái qí bǎo ér mí qí bāng, kěwèi rén hū?” Yuē: “Bùkě.” “hào cóng shì ér jí shīshí, kě wèi zhì hū?” Yuē: “Bùkě.” “rìyuè shì yǐ, suì bù wǒ yǔ.” Kǒng Zǐ yuē: “Nuò. Wú jiāng shì yǐ.” [Pinyin]

He then asked, "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?" Confucius replied, "No." "Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?" Confucius again said, "No." "The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us." Confucius said, "Right; I will go into office."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suìbùwǒyǔ

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄩˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi³ bat¹ ngo⁵ jyu⁵

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suìbùwǒyǔ [Phonetic: suìbùwóyǔ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄛˇ ㄩˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suèibùwǒyǔ
    • Wade–Giles: sui⁴-pu⁴-wo³-yü³
    • Yale: swèi-bù-wǒ-yǔ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sueybuwooyeu
    • Palladius: суйбувоюй (sujbuvojuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ wɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ y²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: seoi³ bat¹ ngo⁵ jyu⁵
    • Yale: seui bāt ngóh yúh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey³ bat⁷ ngo⁵ jy⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu³ bed¹ ngo⁵ yu⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ ŋɔː¹³ jyː¹³/

Idiom

歲不我與

1. to have missed an opportunity; time and tide wait for no man

Synonyms

• 時不我與／时不我与 (shíbùwǒyǔ)