Definition
天理 is a traditional Chinese philosophical term referring to the ethical and cosmological principles that govern the universe — often translated as 'natural law' or 'heavenly justice'. It implies an inherent moral order in the world, where good is rewarded and evil punished. You'll hear it in moral arguments (天理难容) and in Neo-Confucian texts where it's contrasted with 人欲 (human desire).
n.
heavenly principlenatural law (the moral order of the universe)justicedivine justice (as in cosmic retribution)
Examples
- ，天理？Tā zuò le nàme duō huài shì, jiù bú pà tiān lǐ bù róng ma?He's done so many bad things — isn't he afraid heaven's justice won't tolerate it?
- 天理，。Sòng-Míng lǐxué qiángdiào cún tiān lǐ, qù rényù.Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism emphasizes preserving heavenly principle and eliminating human desire.
- ，天理。Zhè zhǒng bú xiào de xíngwéi, jiǎnzhí tiān lǐ nán róng.This kind of unfilial behavior is simply intolerable to heavenly justice.
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