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How it's used

Beyond the physical object, the term is frequently used metaphorically to describe a rapid succession of events or people passing by, similar to how the silhouettes on the lantern flicker past. It captures a sense of dizzying speed or a fleeting, transient experience. You will often hear it used in the phrase 走馬燈咁轉 to describe a situation where things change or people come and go very quickly.