天职

天職

tiānzhí

noun #23,239

Meanings

1 vocation
2 calling
3 sacred duty
4 mission in life

Characters

heaven; sky; divine; natural

duty; position; office; vocation

Examples

救死扶伤是医生的天职。

Jiùsǐfúshāng shì yīshēng de tiānzhí.

Saving lives and healing the wounded is a doctor's sacred calling.

他认为教育下一代是自己的天职。

Tā rènwéi jiàoyù xiàyīdài shì zìjǐ de tiānzhí.

He believes that educating the next generation is his life's calling.

Tips

memory

天 means heaven/sky/divine; 职 means duty/position. 天职 is literally a 'heavenly duty' — a calling ordained by heaven itself, stronger than a mere job or obligation.

Stroke Order

天 tiān

职 zhí