西天

Xītiān
noun #19,032

Meanings

  1. 1 the Western Paradise (Buddhism)
  2. 2 heaven (euphemism for death)

Examples

Tángsēng shītú sì rén qù Xītiān qǔjīng.
The monk Xuanzang and his three disciples went to the Western Paradise to fetch scriptures.
Tā chàdiǎn bèi sòng shàng Xītiān.
He was nearly sent to meet his maker.

Tips

culture
In Buddhism, 西天 refers to the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha in the west. Colloquially, 西天 means 'to die'.

In Pop Culture

西 Xīyóujì
Journey to the West
Classic Chinese novel about the pilgrimage to the Western Paradise

Stroke Order

西
tiān