源远流长 yuán yuǎn liú cháng

with a long history; from very early times

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

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

Characters

Character Meaning
源 yuán HSK 5
origin; source; root
远 yuǎn HSK 2
far; distant; remote
流 liú HSK 4
to flow; to circulate or spread; to move or drift
长 cháng HSK 2
to grow; to develop; to increase