忽如

Chinese

Pronunciation

Verb

忽如

1. (literary) to be just like; to be similar to; as if; as though

   • 人生天地間，忽如遠行客 [MSC, trad.]
     人生天地间，忽如远行客 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 《青青陵上柏》

     rén shēng tiāndì jiān, hūrú yuǎnxíng kè

     As we live between heaven and earth,
     Life is like a traveller going on a long journey.

   • 捐軀赴國難，視死忽如歸。 [MSC, trad.]
     捐躯赴国难，视死忽如归。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 3^rd century, Cao Zhi, 《白馬篇》

     Juānqū fù guónàn, shì sǐ hūrú guī.

     Devoted to nothing but the country's rescue,
     He stares into the face of Death proud and ready.
     (literally, “, he sees death like returning.”)

   • 進不辨貴，退不知賤，兀然造化，忽如草木。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     进不辨贵，退不知贱，兀然造化，忽如草木。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Southern Qi, by Xiao Zixian, 6^th century CE

     Jìn bù biàn guì, tuì bù zhī jiàn, wùrán zàohuà, hūrú cǎomù.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 忽如一夜春風來，千樹萬樹梨花開。 [MSC, trad.]
     忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 8^th century, Cen Shen, 《白雪歌送武判官歸京》

     Hūrú yī yè chūnfēng lái, qiān shù wàn shù líhuā kāi.

     Is like a spring gale, come up in the night,
     Blowing open the petals of ten thousand peartrees.

Synonyms