九天 (jiǔtiān): the highest of the heavens

Meanings

1 the highest of the heavens
2 the ninth heaven
3 (figurative) the loftiest height
4 nine days

Characters

九

Examples

飞机直冲九天。

Fēijī zhí chōng jiǔtiān.

The plane shot straight up into the highest heavens.

他从九天之上跌入九地之下。

Tā cóng jiǔtiān zhī shàng diē rù jiǔdì zhī xià.

He fell from the highest heaven to the lowest depths.

Tips

culture

Ancient Chinese cosmology divided the sky into nine layered heavens, with 九天 being the topmost. It contrasts with 九地 (jiǔdì, the deepest underground). Li Bai's poem 《望庐山瀑布》 contains the famous line 飞流直下三千尺，疑是银河落九天 — 'The torrent plummets three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way is falling from the ninth heaven.'

usage

Used figuratively for the highest height (a star reaching 九天), in proverbs like 一步登天 (rise to the highest in one step), or literally for 'nine days.' Context disambiguates.