Definition
天罗地网 is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'heaven net and earth net'. It describes an extremely tight encirclement or a trap from which there is no escape, often used in military, police, or pursuit contexts. The image is of nets covering both the sky and the ground, leaving no way out.
f.e.
tight encirclementa net spread from all sidesinescapable trap
Examples
- 天罗地网，。Jǐngfāng bù xià le tiān luō, zuìfàn chā chì nán táo.The police set up a tight encirclement, and the criminal couldn't escape even if he grew wings.
- 天罗地网。Dírén xiàn rù le wǒmen de tiān luō zhī zhōng.The enemy fell into our inescapable trap.
- 天罗地网。Zhège chéngshì bèi tiān luō bān de jiānkòng fùgài.This city is covered by surveillance as tight as a net.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.