1.
revolving lantern
A traditional lantern with silhouette figures that appear to move as the lantern rotates from the heat of a candle inside. Associated with summer festivals.
夏祭りで走馬灯を見た。
I saw a revolving lantern at the summer festival.
走馬灯の影絵が壁にゆらゆら映っていた。
Shadow figures from the revolving lantern flickered on the wall.
子供の頃、走馬灯の回る姿をずっと眺めていたのを覚えている。
I remember watching the revolving lantern spin for ages as a child.
2.
life flashing before one's eyes; rapid succession of memories
A figurative expression for memories passing through one's mind in quick succession, especially in a moment of crisis. Derived from the way images spin past on the lantern.
人生が走馬灯のように駆け巡った。
My life flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.
事故の瞬間、思い出が走馬灯のように浮かんだ。
At the moment of the accident, memories flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
卒業式で、学校生活の思い出が走馬灯のように頭の中を巡った。
At the graduation ceremony, memories of school life flashed through my head like a revolving lantern.
Literally "running horse lantern" — the silhouette figures on the lantern appear to gallop as it spins. Sense 2 is the more commonly encountered usage in modern Japanese.
The figurative expression 走馬灯のように (like a revolving lantern) is used to describe rapid flashbacks of memories, especially in dramatic or emotional moments. This is the Japanese equivalent of the English phrase "my life flashed before my eyes."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 走馬灯のように駆け巡る (to flash through one's mind)
- 走馬灯のように浮かぶ (to float up like a revolving lantern)
- 走馬灯のように蘇る (to come back like a revolving lantern)