顶天立地 (dǐng tiān lì de) — of colossal stature or indomitable spirit; towering and dauntless

Definition

A chengyu praising someone as upright, fearless, and principled — 'towering to the sky, standing firm on the earth.' Used for heroes and true men (男子汉), not casual praise.

idiom
of colossal stature or indomitable spirittowering and dauntless

Examples

  • 顶天立地，。
    Tā shì yí gè dǐng tiān lì de de nán zǐ hàn, cóng bú xiàng kùn nan dī tóu.
    He is a towering man who never bows to difficulties.
  • 顶天立地。
    Yīng xióng rén wù dǐng tiān lì de de xíng xiàng yǒng yuǎn liú zài rén men xīn zhōng.
    The image of heroic figures standing tall and proud forever remains in people's hearts.
  • ，顶天立地，。
    Tā yì shēng guāng míng lěi luò, dǐng tiān lì de, lìng rén jìng pèi.
    He lived an open and upright life, towering and dauntless, earning everyone's admiration.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

顶天
顶dǐngpush against天tiānheaven
动宾Verb + object
立地
立lìstand地dìearth
动宾Verb + object

顶天 (pushing against heaven) and 立地 (standing on earth) together picture a towering, dauntless figure.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng頂dǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

Open 顶 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Open 立 →

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 →

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