天下

tiānxià

noun HSK 6 #5,530

Meanings

1 the whole world; all under heaven
2 the realm; the empire (historical)

Characters

Under heaven — the whole world, all under heaven.

Examples

天下没有免费的午餐。

Tiānxià méiyǒu miǎnfèi de wǔcān.

There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

天下太平是人民的愿望。

Tiānxiàtàipíng shì rénmín de yuànwàng.

World peace is the wish of the people.

桂林山水甲天下。

Guìlín shānshuǐ jiǎ tiānxià.

Guilin's scenery is the finest under heaven.

Tips

culture

天下 is one of the most important concepts in Chinese political philosophy. It meant 'all under heaven' — the civilized world ruled by the emperor. The phrase 天下为公 (the world belongs to all) comes from Confucianism.

Stroke Order

天 tiān

下 xià