TongTong
Sign in

谢天谢地 (xiè tiān xiè dì) — thank goodness!, thank heavens! (expression of relief or gratitude)

Definition

A set exclamation of relief, like 'thank heavens!' — used when a worrying situation turns out okay. Slightly more literary than the everyday 太好了 for relief.

idiom
thank goodness!thank heavens! (expression of relief or gratitude)

Examples

  • 谢天谢地，！
    xiè tiān xiè dì, Zhōng yú zhǎo dào yào shi le!
    Thank goodness, I finally found the keys!
  • 谢天谢地，。
    xiè tiān xiè dì, Tā méi yǒu shòu shāng.
    Thank heavens, he wasn't injured.
  • 谢天谢地，。
    xiè tiān xiè dì, Bào yǔ zǒng suàn tíng le.
    Thank goodness, the heavy rain has finally stopped.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

谢天thank heaven
谢xièthank天tiānheaven
动宾Verb + object
谢地thank earth
谢xièthank地dìearth
动宾Verb + object

Thanking 天 and 地 expresses relief and gratitude.

Characters in this word

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 謝; 谢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword; speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
射
射shè謝xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謝 pairs 言 (word; speech) with 射, which gives the sound. The simplified 谢 is a written form of this character.

Open 谢 →

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 謝; 谢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword; speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
射
射shè謝xiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謝 pairs 言 (word; speech) with 射, which gives the sound. The simplified 谢 is a written form of this character.

Open 谢 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.