tin1 lei5天理
Jyutpingtin1 lei5
Yaletīn léih
Definition
Divine justice; natural law or the fundamental principles of morality.
colloquialother
How it's used
Often used in emotive or dramatic contexts to describe situations where moral order has been completely violated. It carries a heavy, almost philosophical weight that implies a cosmic or natural law has been broken, rather than just a legal one. You will frequently hear it in expressions of extreme indignation or when discussing heinous crimes.
Examples
He did such terrible things, it really is against divine justice.
Killing and arson, there is simply no justice left in the world.
Related words
Common phrases
intolerable to divine justice
no justice in the world
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to everyday fairness or minor inconveniences, as it is reserved for serious moral or ethical breaches. It is not a synonym for legal justice or courtroom fairness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
