those who meet must part; we meet only to part
A Buddhist-derived yojijukugo expressing the impermanence of relationships; often used in reflective or literary contexts to acknowledge that all encounters end in separation.
会者定離という言葉が胸にしみる。
The phrase 'those who meet must part' resonates deeply with me.
At the graduation ceremony, I reflected on the truth that all meetings end in parting.
A broader Buddhist concept of the impermanence of all things, while 会者定離 specifically focuses on the inevitability of parting from those we meet.
A yojijukugo of Buddhist origin, composed of 会 (meet), 者 (person), 定 (certainly), and 離 (part), literally meaning 'those who meet will certainly part.' It reflects the Buddhist teaching of impermanence.