順天者昌，逆天者亡

Chinese

		to obey; to follow; to arrange to obey; to follow; to arrange; to make reasonable; along; favourable	day; sky; heaven	‑ist, ‑er (person); person (who does something)	prosperous; flourish		contrary; opposite; backwards contrary; opposite; backwards; to go against; to oppose; to betray; to rebel	day; sky; heaven	‑ist, ‑er (person); person (who does something)	to die; to perish
trad. (順天者昌，逆天者亡)		順	天	者	昌	，	逆	天	者	亡
simp. (顺天者昌，逆天者亡)		顺	天	者	昌	，	逆	天	者	亡

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shùn tiān zhě chāng, nì tiān zhě wáng

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨㄣˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄜˇ ㄔㄤ , ㄋㄧˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄜˇ ㄨㄤˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): seon⁶ tin¹ ze² coeng¹, jik⁶ tin¹ ze² mong⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shùn tiān zhě chāng, nì tiān zhě wáng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨㄣˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄜˇ ㄔㄤ , ㄋㄧˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄜˇ ㄨㄤˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shùn tian jhě chang, nì tian jhě wáng
    • Wade–Giles: shun⁴ tʻien¹ chê³ chʻang¹, ni⁴ tʻien¹ chê³ wang²
    • Yale: shwùn tyān jě chāng-, nì tyān jě wáng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shuenn tian jee chang, nih tian jee wang
    • Palladius: шунь тянь чжэ чан, ни тянь чжэ ван (šunʹ tjanʹ čžɛ čan, ni tjanʹ čžɛ van)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu̯ən⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵ ni⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ wɑŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: seon⁶ tin¹ ze² coeng¹, jik⁶ tin¹ ze² mong⁴
    • Yale: seuhn tīn jé chēung, yihk tīn jé mòhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soen⁶ tin¹ dze² tsoeng¹, jik⁹ tin¹ dze² mong⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sên⁶ tin¹ zé² cêng¹, yig⁶ tin¹ zé² mong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵn²² tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ jɪk̚² tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ mɔːŋ²¹/

Idiom

順天者昌，逆天者亡

1. those who follow (the mandate of) heaven will prosper; those who resist will perish

   • 何乃強要逆天理，揹人情而行事？豈不聞古人云：順天者昌，逆天者亡。 [MSC, trad.]
     何乃强要逆天理，背人情而行事？岂不闻古人云：顺天者昌，逆天者亡。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1994, China Central Television, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, episode 69 收姜維 (ensub)

     Hé nǎi qiáng yào nì tiānlǐ, bèi rénqíng ér xíngshì? Qǐbù wén gǔrén yún: shùntiānzhěchāng, nìtiānzhěwáng. [Pinyin]

     Why do you oppose the decree of Heaven and betray the sentiment of the people to take this action? Didn't the ancients say "Follow heaven and prosper, rebel against and fall?"

Synonyms

• 順天者存，逆天者亡／顺天者存，逆天者亡