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天时地利人和

tiān shí dì lì rén hédictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
the time is right, geographical and social conditions are favorable (idiom) / a good time to go to war
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-6e261b22f32c6a1d. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

天時地利人和 天时地利人和 [tian1 shi2 di4 li4 ren2 he2] /the time is right, geographical and social conditions are favorable (idiom); a good time to go to war/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 天時地利人和

  • 天
    tiān

    day / sky / heaven

  • 时
    shí

    (bound form) time / hour / period / season / (after a numeral) o'clock / hour(s) / (after a verb phrase or clause) when / while

    Shí

    surname Shi

  • 地
    de

    -ly / structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct

    dì

    earth / ground / field / place / land / CL:片[piàn]

  • 利
    lì

    sharp / favorable / advantage / benefit / profit / interest / to do good to / to benefit

    Lì

    surname Li

  • 人
  • 和
    hé

    (joining two nouns) and / together with / with (Taiwan pr. [hàn]) / (math.) sum / to make peace / (sports) to draw / to tie / (bound form) harmonious / (bound form) Japan / Japanese / (literary) harmonious (variant of 和[hé])

    hè

    to compose a poem in reply (to sb's poem) using the same rhyme sequence / to join in the singing / to chime in with others

    hú

    to complete a set in mahjong or playing cards

    huó

    to combine a powdery substance (flour, plaster etc) with water / Taiwan pr. [huò]

    huò

    to mix (ingredients) together / to blend / classifier for rinses of clothes / classifier for boilings of medicinal herbs

    Hé

    surname He

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.