that's the way life is
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
That is the way things happen.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Near-synonyms: it is what it is, shit happens
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Certain things cannot be changed, helped or improved; struggle and objection are pointless.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Một số điều nhất định không thể thay đổi, giúp đỡ hoặc cải thiện; đấu tranh và phản đối là vô ích
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “that's the way life is” mean?
That is the way things happen.
Is “that's the way life is” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.