| 源远流长 |
yuán yuǎn liú cháng |
lit. source is distant and the flow is long (idiom); fig. sth goes back to the dim and distant past / a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then |
| 源 |
yuán |
root / source / origin |
| 远 |
yuǎn |
far / distant / remote / (intensifier in a comparison) by far / much (lower etc) |
| 远 |
yuàn |
to distance oneself from (classical) |
| 流 |
liú |
to flow / to disseminate / to circulate or spread / to move or drift / to degenerate / to banish or send into exile / stream of water or sth resembling one / class, rate or grade |
| 长 |
cháng |
long / (bound form) length / (bound form) strong point; forte / (bound form) to be good at / (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4]) |
| 长 |
zhǎng |
chief / head / elder / to grow / to develop / to increase / to enhance |