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物是人非

wù shì rén fēidictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
(idiom) the place is unchanged, but the faces are different
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-a6d470399c6f5ada. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

物是人非 物是人非 [wu4 shi4 ren2 fei1] /(idiom) the place is unchanged, but the faces are different/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

  • 物
    wù

    (bound form) thing / (literary) the outside world as distinct from oneself / people other than oneself

  • 是
    shì

    to be (followed by substantives only) / correct / right / true / (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well / (adverb for emphatic assertion)

  • 人
  • 非
    fēi

    to not be / not / wrong / incorrect / non- / un- / in- / de- / to reproach / to blame / (coll.) to insist on / simply must

    Fēi

    abbr. for 非洲[Fēi zhōu], Africa

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.