烏う兎と匆そう匆そう

Meanings

time flies; days and nights pass quickly

A yojijukugo (four-character idiom) of Chinese origin. 烏 (crow) represents the sun, and 兎 (rabbit) represents the moon; together they evoke the swift passage of days and nights. Used in literary or formal contexts to express how time flies.

烏う兎と匆そう匆そう、気きがつけばもう年ねん末まつだ。
Time flies; before I knew it, it's already the end of the year.
「烏う兎と匆そう匆そう」という言こと葉ばは、月つき日ひの経たつのが早はやいことを表あらわす。
The phrase 'uto sōsō' expresses how quickly the days and months pass.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

烏crow, raven
兎rabbit, hare
匆rush, hurry, be flustered
怱rush, hurry, be flustered

Related words

光こう陰いん矢やの如ごとし
Also means 'time flies,' but uses the metaphor of an arrow. More common and less literary than 烏兎匆匆.
歳さい月げつ人ひとを待またず
Means 'time waits for no one.' Similar sentiment but focuses on the relentless passage of years rather than days and nights.

Built from

烏う兎と+匆そう匆そう

Written forms

烏う兎と匆そう匆そう
Standard kanji form using 匆匆. The variant 烏兎匆々 is also seen.
烏う兎と匆そう々そう
Variant with repeated kanji mark 々.
烏う兎と怱そう々そう
Rare variant using 怱 instead of 匆.
烏う兎と怱そう怱そう
Rare variant with repeated 怱.

Etymology

A yojijukugo of Chinese origin. 烏 (crow) is a traditional symbol of the sun, and 兎 (rabbit) of the moon, so the phrase literally means 'crow and rabbit in haste,' figuratively describing the swift passage of days and nights.