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天数 (tiān shǔ) — fate, destiny; fatalism; (Yijing) the five odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that sum to 25, representing the yang principle

Definition

天数 (tiān shù) literally 'heaven's numbers' — in everyday use it means fate or destiny, something preordained and unchangeable. In the Yijing it refers specifically to the five odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) symbolizing yang.

noun
fatedestinyfatalism(Yijing) the five odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that sum to 25, representing the yang principle

Examples

  • 天数，。
    Tā rèn wéi zhè yí qiè dōu shì tiān shǔ, wú fǎ gǎi biàn.
    He thinks all this is fate and cannot be changed.
  • 《》，天数。
    Zài 《yì jīng》 zhōng, tiān shǔ dài biǎo yáng shù.
    In the Yijing, the heavenly numbers represent yang numbers.
  • 天数，。
    Hěn duō rén xiāng xìn tiān shǔ, dàn yě yào nǔ lì.
    Many people believe in fatalism, but one must still work hard.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

天tiānheaven
数shùnumber

The ideas of 天 as heaven and 数 as number build a heavenly number or destiny.

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.

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMythology & Folklore

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