impermanence
/ɪmˈpɜːmənəns/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpɜːrmənəns/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)im-ˈpər-mə-nən(t)s -ˈpərm-/ (ame, mw)
impermanence — noun
1. the quality of existing or continuing only for a short time, with the certainty
the quality of existing or continuing only for a short time, with the certainty of ending, changing, or being lost.
After the wildfire, Ritu thought a lot about the impermanence of the houses on her street.
the impermanence of [concrete noun]
Buddhist teachers often ask students to sit quietly and reflect on the impermanence of all things.
reflect on the impermanence of [abstract noun]
The cherry blossoms last only a week, and that brief beauty makes their impermanence feel almost sweet.
Tariq writes about the impermanence of fame, pointing to singers who are forgotten just five years later.
Living near an active volcano teaches a person the impermanence of homes, roads, and even whole villages.
- transience
near-equivalent, equally formal; slightly more about fleeting moments than ultimate ending
- transitoriness
very formal/literary; rare in modern prose
- ephemerality
stresses how briefly something exists; common in art and design writing
- permanence
the direct opposite — the quality of lasting indefinitely
- endurance
the quality of continuing despite difficulty, not just lasting
文法句型
the impermanence of [noun]
用法筆記
Uncountable; almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of + noun phrase'. Common in philosophical, religious (especially Buddhist), and reflective writing rather than everyday speech.