天圆地方
tiān yuán dì fāng
heaven is round and the earth is square (the ancient picture of the cosmos)
Character by character
天tiān
heaven
heaven
圆yuán
round
round
地dì
earth
earth
方fāng
square
square
Example
古代的铜钱外圆内方，有人说这体现了天圆地方的观念。
Old Chinese coins are round with a square hole, and some say this reflects the idea that heaven is round and the earth square.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
The oldest Chinese picture of the cosmos, still visible in Beijing: the 天坛 is round, the 地坛 square. 张衡 himself preferred the 浑天说, in which heaven wraps the earth like the shell of an egg round its yolk.
Learn this in Lesson 101 · HSK 6–7: 月球上的中国名字 (Chinese names on the Moon)
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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