曾經滄海難為水，除卻巫山不是雲 céng jīng cāng hǎi nán wéi shuǐ ， chú què wū shān bù shì yún

DEFINITIONS

  1. there are no rivers to one who has crossed the ocean, and no clouds to one who has passed Mount Wu (idiom)
  2. one who has seen the world doesn't stop at small things

CHARACTERS

曾 céng
HSK 5
already; sign of past
經 jīng classic works; pass through
滄 cāng blue, dark green; cold
海 hǎi
HSK 4
sea, ocean; maritime
難 nán difficult, arduous, hard; unable
為 wéi do, handle, govern, act; be
水 shuǐ
HSK 1
water, liquid, lotion, juice
除 chú
HSK 3
eliminate, remove, except
卻 què still, but; decline; retreat
巫 wū wizard, sorcerer, witch, shaman
山 shān
HSK 3
mountain, hill, peak
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
是 shì
HSK 1
indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that
雲 yún clouds; Yunnan province