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得天独厚 (dé tiān dú hòu) — (idiom) exceptionally favored by nature or circumstances; to enjoy exceptional advantages

Definition

Idiom meaning a place, person, or thing has exceptional natural advantages others lack. Unlike 受宠若惊 (a humble reaction to favor), it describes inherent favorable conditions, not a response to praise.

idiom
exceptionally favored by nature or circumstancesto enjoy exceptional advantages

Examples

  • 得天独厚。
    Tā dé tiān dú hòu de yǔ yán tiān fù ràng tā qīng sōng zhǎng wò le sān mén wài yǔ.
    His exceptional language gift allowed him to effortlessly master three foreign languages.
  • 得天独厚，，。
    Zhè ge gǎng kǒu dé tiān dú hòu, shuǐ shēn bú dòng, shì tiān rán liáng gǎng.
    This harbor is naturally advantaged, with deep and ice-free waters — a fine natural port.
  • 得天独厚，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī dé tiān dú hòu, shì chǎng shàng jī hū méi yǒu duì shǒu.
    This company has exceptional advantages — there are almost no competitors in the market.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 厂厂chǎngcliff; cave on a cliff
  • 𣆪𣆪𣆪jug

The shape of 厚 puts 𣆪, a jug, beneath 厂, a cliff or cave.

Open 厚 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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