倏忽

倏忽

1. (literary) suddenly; in a flash

   • 生感南柯之浮虛，悟人世之倏忽，遂棲心道門，絕棄酒色。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     生感南柯之浮虚，悟人世之倏忽，遂栖心道门，绝弃酒色。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 802, 李公佐,《南柯太守傳》(The Governor of Nanke), translated by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang

     Shēng gǎn Nánkē zhī fúxū, wù rénshì zhī shūhū, suì qīxīn dàomén, juéqì jiǔsè. [Pinyin]

     The dream under the southern bough was nothing but hollow, and yet wasn't human life as transient as a dream? He decided to give up drinking and wanton desires, and to devote himself to Taoism.

   • 晝則舟楫出沒於其前，夜則魚龍悲嘯於其下。變化倏忽，動心駭目，不可久視。今乃得玩之几席之上，舉目而足。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     昼则舟楫出没于其前，夜则鱼龙悲啸于其下。变化倏忽，动心骇目，不可久视。今乃得玩之几席之上，举目而足。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1083, 蘇轍,《黃州快哉亭記》, translated by Richard E. Strassberg

     Zhòu zé zhōují chūméi yú qí qián, yè zé yúlóng bēi xiào yú qí xià. Biànhuà shūhū, dòng xīn hài mù, bùkě jiǔ shì. Jīn nǎi dé wán zhī jīxí zhīshàng, jǔmù ér zú. [Pinyin]

     In daytime, boats appear and vanish before it; in the evening, fish and dragons wail sorrowfully below. The transformation of the scene occurs so suddenly that it unsettles the mind and terrifies the eyes: One cannot observe it for long. Now I am contemplating it while seated here and can observe it all in a glance.