源远流长 yuán yuǎn liú cháng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. source is distant and the flow is long (idiom); fig. sth goes back to the dim and distant past
  2. a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then

CHARACTERS

源 yuán
HSK 5
spring; source, head; surname
远 yuǎn
HSK 2
distant, remote, far; profound
流 liú
HSK 4
flow, circulate, drift; class
长 cháng
HSK 2
long; length; excel in; leader