擦肩而过

Traditional form:

擦肩而過

Pinyin (reading):

cājiān'érguò

Definitions:

• to brush past; to pass by (sb)
• (fig.) to miss (an opportunity, a danger etc); to have a brush (with death)

Characters:

• 擦 - to clean, to erase, to polish; a brush
• 肩 - shoulders; to shoulder, to bear
• 而 - and, and then, and yet; but
• 过 - pass; to go across, to pass through

Traditional characters:

• 擦 - to clean, to erase, to polish; a brush
• 肩 - shoulders; to shoulder, to bear
• 而 - and, and then, and yet; but
• 過 - pass; to go across, to pass through