得天独厚
得天独厚 (dé tiān dú hòu) literally means “receive heaven unique favor” and expresses “uniquely blessed with natural advantages”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: de tian du hou, de tian du hou,得天独厚 meaning, 得天独厚 in english
Uniquely blessed with natural advantages
Pronunciation: dé tiān dú hòu Literal meaning: Receive heaven unique favor
Origin & Usage
To have received (得) from heaven (天) a uniquely (独) generous portion (厚). What the phrase specifies is that the advantage was there before anyone did anything — soil, climate, position, constitution, family — so it is not a comment on merit either way. Regions with natural resources and people with an obvious gift, with a faint edge to it: calling somebody 得天独厚 acknowledges the advantage and quietly declines to credit them with it.
Examples
English: "The coastal region's ideal climate and natural harbor created exceptional development advantages"
Chinese: 沿海地区理想的气候和天然港口创造了特殊的发展优势
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
厚积薄发
hòu jī bó fā
Success after long preparation
Learn more →
巧夺天工
qiǎo duó tiān gōng
Craftsmanship beyond natural limits
Learn more →
天衣无缝
tiān yī wú fèng
Flawless and perfectly seamless
Learn more →
破天荒
pò tiān huāng
For the first time ever; unprecedented
Learn more →
惊天动地
jīng tiān dòng dì
Earth-shaking; tremendous
Learn more →
天外有天
tiān wài yǒu tiān
Always someone better
Learn more →
坐井观天
zuò jǐng guān tiān
Judge with limited perspective
Learn more →
杞人忧天
qǐ rén yōu tiān
Worry needlessly about impossible disasters
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 得天独厚 mean in English?
得天独厚 (dé tiān dú hòu) literally translates to “Receive heaven unique favor” and is used to express “Uniquely blessed with natural advantages”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 得天独厚 used?
Situation: The coastal region's ideal climate and natural harbor created exceptional development advantages
What is the pinyin for 得天独厚?
The pinyin pronunciation for 得天独厚 is “dé tiān dú hòu”.
Curated Lists Featuring 得天独厚
11 Chinese Idioms About Sky & Heaven (天)
Learn Chinese idioms featuring sky/heaven (天), representing the divine, fate, and limitless possibility.
SBTI THAN-K Personality — 5 Chinese Idioms for the Thankful Type
SBTI THAN-K is the optimistic, grateful soul who finds warmth in recovery. 5 Chinese idioms for this bright personality.