What does 一去不复返 mean?

一去不复返 (yī qù bù fù fǎn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be gone forever”.

How do you pronounce 一去不复返?

一去不复返 is pronounced yī qù bù fù fǎn in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 一去不复返 literally mean?

Literally, 一去不复返 means “Once gone, never to return”. It is used to mean “to be gone forever”.

Where does 一去不复返 come from?

一去不复返 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

一去不复返 — “To be gone forever”

一去不复返 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be gone forever”. To depart and never return; to vanish without a trace. Literally, “Once gone, never to return”.

Frequency

一去不复返 Pronunciation and Pinyin

一yī
去qù
不bù
复fù
返fǎn

一去不复返 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
一	yī	1	one, a, single, whole
去	qù	5	to go, leave, or remove
不	bù	4	not
复	fù	9	return, repeat, or complex
返	fǎn	7	return or go back

Example Sentence with 一去不复返

时间就像流水，一去不复返，我们应该珍惜每一刻。

Time, like flowing water, is gone forever; we should cherish every moment.

Origin and Story of 一去不复返

During the late Warring States period, the State of Qin grew rich and powerful, threatening other states. Crown Prince Dan of Yan sought someone to assassinate King Zheng of Qin (who would later unify China and be known as Qin Shi Huang), finally finding a brave warrior named Jing Ke.

In 228 BC, the Qin army broke through the State of Zhao and approached the Yan border. Prince Dan was very anxious upon hearing this and urged Jing Ke to depart quickly. Jing Ke said, "To assassinate the King of Qin, one must first find a way to get close to him. It would be ideal if we could offer him the southern lands of Yan and the head of Fan Wuji, his enemy, which he eagerly desires." Fan Wuji was originally a Qin general who had offended King Zheng and fled to Yan for refuge.

Prince Dan was distressed upon hearing Jing Ke's suggestion to offer Fan Wuji's head, saying, "How can I bear to do that?" Jing Ke then went to Fan Wuji himself and said, "The King of Qin killed your parents and clan. Don't you long for revenge? I am now preparing to assassinate the King of Qin and wish to borrow your head as an offering to gain proximity to him. What are your thoughts?" Fan Wuji replied, "I have thought of revenge day and night, my heart is burning with anguish. Today, I finally receive your guidance!" After speaking, he drew his sword and slit his own throat.

Prince Dan cried upon learning of Fan Wuji's suicide. He placed the head in a wooden box and, along with a map of Yan's southern territories, handed them to Jing Ke. He also found a brave warrior, Qin Wuyang, to be Jing Ke's assistant.

On the day of their departure, Jing Ke delayed, waiting for a friend who lived far away, hoping to go with him. Prince Dan suspected Jing Ke might have changed his mind and asked, "The sun has already set. Do you have any intention of leaving?" Jing Ke replied, "I was merely waiting for a friend. Since you say so, let us part ways now!" Prince Dan and others knew Jing Ke would not return alive, so they all wore white clothes and gathered by the Yi River to see him off.

Jing Ke asked his friend Gao Jianli to play the zhú (an ancient instrument), and he began to sing. Jing Ke sang with profound emotion, his voice heroic and sorrowful: "The wind sighs, the Yi River is cold; a brave warrior gone, never to return!" Listening to his song, everyone present was moved to tears. After finishing the song, Jing Ke leaped onto his carriage and left without once looking back. He indeed "went and never returned," later being struck down by the King of Qin's sword and dying in the Qin court.

Idioms Related to 一去不复返

Synonyms of 一去不复返

rén人qù去lóu楼kōng空people gone, building empty, place forlorn

Antonyms of 一去不复返

fǎn反fù复wú无cháng常inconsistent and unpredictable

More idioms starting with 一

Questions about 一去不复返

What does 一去不复返 mean?: 一去不复返 (yī qù bù fù fǎn) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be gone forever”.
How do you pronounce 一去不复返?: 一去不复返 is pronounced yī qù bù fù fǎn in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 一去不复返 literally mean?: Literally, 一去不复返 means “Once gone, never to return”. It is used to mean “to be gone forever”.
Where does 一去不复返 come from?: 一去不复返 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 一去不复返?: 一去就不再回来了。

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