天时 (tiān shí) — favorable weather and climate (especially as a condition for farming or planning); timeliness; opportune moment (the idea that time itself is a favorable factor)

Definition

Often paired with 地利 and 人和 in the saying '天时不如地利，地利不如人和' to name the three conditions for success: favorable timing, place, and people. Refers to the right moment or weather, not opportunity in the everyday sense.

noun
favorable weather and climate (especially as a condition for farming or planning)timelinessopportune moment (the idea that time itself is a favorable factor)

Examples

  • 天时，。
    Zhòng dì yào kàn tiān shí, bù néng tài zǎo yě bù néng tài wǎn.
    Farming depends on the weather — it can't be too early or too late.
  • 天时、、，。
    Tā men zhàn le tiān shí, dì lì, rén hé, suǒ yǐ yíng le.
    They had favorable timing, geography, and popular support, so they won.
  • 天时，。
    Zhè cì tóu zī cuò guò le zuì jiā tiān shí, sǔn shī hěn dà.
    This investment missed the optimal opportunity, resulting in big losses.

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tiānsky
时shítime

The sense of 天 as sky combines with 时 as time to mean favorable weather or timing.

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 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

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