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    Chinese Grammar

    Using 白日 (báirì) to mean "daytime" or "the sun"

    Description & Modification
    Time Expressions

    Structure

    白日 + Verb Phrase

    Explanation

    白日 (báirì) literally means "white sun" and poetically refers to the daytime sun or daylight. It is a classical and literary term most commonly encountered in Chinese poetry, such as the famous line 白日依山尽 from Wang Zhihuan's poem.

    Examples

    • 白日依山尽是一句非常有名的诗。

      "Bái rì yī shān jìn" shì yí jù fēicháng yǒumíng de shī.

      "The white sun sets behind the mountains" is a very famous line of poetry.

    • 白日渐渐西沉,天色暗了下来。

      Bái rì jiànjiàn xī chén, tiānsè àn le xiàlái.

      The sun gradually sank to the west, and the sky darkened.

    • 趁着白日还长,我们多走一段路吧。

      Chènzhe bái rì hái cháng, wǒmen duō zǒu yí duàn lù ba.

      While the daylight is still long, let's walk a bit farther.

    Using 白日 (báirì) to mean "daytime" or "the sun" | Chinese Grammar