Definition
天数 (tiān shǔ) has two distinct meanings. The first is 'fate' or 'destiny' — the idea that events are predetermined by heaven, often used in phrases like 天数已定 ('fate is sealed'). The second comes from the Yijing (I Ching), where it refers to the five odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that sum to 25, representing the yang principle. In modern usage, the fate sense is more common, but the Yijing sense appears in classical and philosophical contexts.
n.
fatedestinyfatalism(Yijing) the five odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that sum to 25representing the yang principle
Examples
- 天数，。Tā rènwéi zhè yíqiè dōu shì tiān shǔ, wúfǎ gǎibiàn.He thinks all this is fate and cannot be changed.
- 《》，天数。Zài Yìjīng zhōng, tiān shǔ dàibiǎo yáng shù.In the Yijing, the heavenly numbers represent yang numbers.
- 天数，。Hěn duō rén xiāngxìn tiān shǔ, dàn yě yào nǔlì.Many people believe in fatalism, but one must still work hard.
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