各奔前程

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: gè bèn qián chéng
• English Translation: To go one's separate ways (to pursue one's own future)
• Idiom Composition: 「各」（Each; individual）＋「奔」（To rush toward; to head for）＋「前程」（Future prospects; career path; the road ahead）
• Meaning: A phrase describing people parting ways to pursue their own individual goals, careers, or futures. It is commonly used during milestones like graduations or the dissolution of a group.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「各奔前程」 contains the following nuances:

• Individual Pursuit: The idiom emphasizes that after a period of collective action or living together, individuals begin to act independently for their own interests or goals.
• Future-Oriented Separation: Unlike a simple goodbye, this term includes 前程 (qián chéng), meaning 'future prospects,' making it suitable for positive contexts like graduation or career advancement where one wishes for the other's success.

3. Usage

「各奔前程」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Graduation and New Beginnings: Used when classmates or friends leave school to start their respective lives, blending a sense of nostalgia with hope for the future.
  • Example:「大学毕业后，同学们各奔前程，很少有机会再聚在一起。」
    （After graduating from university, the classmates went their separate ways, and rarely had the chance to gather again.）
• Dissolution of an Organization: Describes the situation where a company or team disbands and members move on to different opportunities. The focus is on the end of a collaborative relationship.
  • Example:「项目结束后，团队成员便各奔前程，去了不同的公司发展。」
    （After the project ended, the team members dispersed to pursue their own careers in different companies.）
• Parting Ways Due to Disagreement: Can be used when people decide to stop working together because their goals or philosophies no longer align. In this context, it can sound slightly more detached or cold.
  • Example:「既然我们的理念不同，不如就此各奔前程吧。」
    （Since our philosophies differ, we might as well part ways and follow our own paths from here.）

Additional Examples:

1. 天下没有不散的筵席，我们终究要各奔前程。
   （All good things must come to an end; eventually, we must all go our separate ways.）
2. 曾经的战友如今各奔前程，有的经商，有的从政。
   （The former comrades-in-arms have now pursued their own paths, some in business and others in politics.）
3. 兄弟俩长大后各奔前程，在不同的城市安了家。
   （The two brothers went their separate ways after growing up, settling down in different cities.）
4. 不要因为各奔前程而感到悲伤，这是成长的必经之路。
   （Do not feel sad about parting ways, for this is a necessary path for growth.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• This idiom is extremely common during graduation seasons or farewell parties. Because it contains the word 前程 (qián chéng), meaning 'future,' it often carries a nuance of wishing the other person success in their next chapter.
• Comparison with 各奔东西 (gè bèn dōng xī): While both mean 'to go separate ways,' 各奔东西 (gè bèn dōng xī) focuses more on the physical or geographical separation (literally 'each rushing east or west') and is more colloquial. 各奔前程 (gè bèn qián chéng) focuses on career and life goals, making it more formal and literary.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 各奔东西 (gè bèn dōng xī): To go in different directions; to separate geographically.
  • 分道扬镳 (fēn dào yáng biāo): To part company; to go separate ways due to different goals or ideals.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 志同道合 (zhì tóng dào hé): To share the same ambitions and follow the same path.
  • 风雨同舟 (fēng yǔ tóng zhōu): To stand together through thick and thin; to help each other in the same boat.
  • 同舟共济 (tóng zhōu gòng jì): To help each other in times of difficulty.link
  • 形影不离 (xíng yǐng bù lí): To be inseparable, always together.link

6. Summary

各奔前程 (gè bèn qián chéng) describes the moment when a group of people separates, with each individual heading toward their own future goals. While it carries a touch of sentimentality due to the parting, it is fundamentally a forward-looking expression often used during life transitions like graduation or career changes.