Definition
君不见 is a classical Chinese rhetorical phrase meaning 'can't you see?' or 'do you not see?' — it opens a poetic or formal statement to draw the listener's attention to a vivid scene or a universal truth. The 君 (jūn) is a respectful 'you', and 不见 (bú jiàn) means 'do not see'. You'll encounter it in classical poetry, historical speeches, and modern formal writing that borrows a literary tone. It always appears at the beginning of a clause, followed by the thing the speaker wants you to notice.
v.p.
can't you see? (rhetorical question, literary/formal)
Examples
- 君不见,,。jūn bú, suìyuè rú liúshuǐ, yí qù bú fù fǎn.Can't you see? Time flows like water, never to return.
- 君不见,,。jūn bú, duōshao yīngxióng háojié, zuìzhōng dōu guī yú chéntǔ.Don't you see? So many heroes and great men all eventually return to dust.
- 君不见,,。jūn bú, zhēnzhèng de xìngfú bú zàiyú cáifù, ér zàiyú nèixīn de píngjìng.Can't you see? True happiness lies not in wealth, but in inner peace.
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