天经地义
tiān jīng dì yì
right and proper beyond question; only natural
Character by character
天tiān
heaven’s
heaven’s
经jīng
law
law
地dì
earth’s
earth’s
义yì
right
right
Example
欠债还钱，天经地义。
If you owe money, you pay it back: that is simply how it is.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the Zuo Zhuan (《左传》): 礼，天之经也，地之义也. Used to say something needs no argument, and also critically, of habits people wrongly take for granted: 把浪费当成天经地义.
Learn this in Lesson 119 · HSK 7–9: 光盘不该是一阵风 (Editorial: clearing your plate)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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