Owledge

Chinese translation for heaven and earth?

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Could someone please translate for me the words "heaven" and "earth" to Chinese? Preferrably several types of writing. And a version with the "and" in-between.

Thank you!

With "heaven" I mean that one which is usually meant in a Taoist context as the counterpart to earth.

Edited by Owledge

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Could someone please translate for me the words "heaven" and "earth" to Chinese? Preferrably several types of writing. And a version with the "and" in-between.

Thank you!

With "heaven" I mean that one which is usually meant in a Taoist context as the counterpart to earth.

 

天 is heaven, a picture of a man spreading his arms out, usually meaning big, and a line connoting what is above this man.

 

地 means earth, 土soil + 也 which means "also; classical final particle of strong affirmation or identity" (apparently a picture of a snake)

 

So you almost get an "also" when they appear together as 天 地, but it doesn't mean "and" or "also".. it just points to the earth, as it does in "he or him; (used for either sex when the sex is unknown or unimportant); (used before somebody's name for emphasis)"

 

 

Excuse the long answer, just using the opportunity to study...

 

Short answer is: 天地

 

天地之間,

tiān dì zhī jiān,

There is Heaven, and there is Earth, and thus there is the shining space in between them

 

(Chapter 5, line 5, Dao De Jing)

 

間 = space between, pictured: sun between two doors

Edited by Harmonious Emptiness

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HE is right.

 

You could also translate heaven and earth by "qian" 乾 and "kun"坤, which are the names of the trigrams related to heaven and earth. This is very common in litterature.

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@Harmonious Emptiness

What does the zhī mean in tiān dì zhī jiān?

 

@baiqi

Why are the trigrams named differently? Aren't they referring to the same concepts?

How can those letters be explained?

Edited by Owledge

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HE is correct.

 

There is also 靝 (tian: Heaven), which was used in sometimes in Daoism. It literally means something akin to 'blue sky' which, for those familiar with old Mongolian/Siberian beliefs should be familiar.

 

Yes the names for the 'grams are;

 

坤 kun (Earth)

乾 qian (Heaven)

 

Are they the same? And even so, why have only one name/term?

 

Nothing in Daoism is written in stone, meanings change, so do words. Many terms cross over in meaning and yet are still different. If you think you've grasped or got a definition of H&E, then I advise you to reconsider. Understanding comes not from 'getting it' but in engaging with and 求 qiu searching. Lao zi.

 

Best,

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OK, here's some fun with language, maybe you can help me with this, too.

 

What's "fist on a stick" in Chinese? It's supposed to be a play of words related to various food "on a stick". Are "stick" and "staff" different words in Chinese? The translated title should, if possible, be ambiguous, hint at the food thing as well as a staff as used in martial arts, and, well, I guess there's a third meaning if you use your phantasy. :lol:

Also, what would be the same with plural - "fists"? And is there a Chinese way of treating "fist" not strictly singular?

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