📖 Meaning
If heaven grants one their full allotted years. It means being allowed to live out one's natural lifespan. It is a variant of the idiom 天假之年.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom expresses the classical Chinese belief that one's lifespan is decreed by heaven. It appears in various literary texts where writers reflect on whether a person will be granted enough time to fulfill their ambitions or talents. The phrase 假 means 'to grant' or 'to lend,' and 其年 refers to one's allotted years of life. It is interchangeable with the form 天假之年, both conveying the idea of heaven extending one's years.
💡 Example Usage
若天假其年，他必能完成这部巨著。
If heaven grants him his full years, he will surely complete this monumental work.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 天假其年
- Pinyin: tiān jiǎ qí nián
- Literal Translation: heaven, grant, one's, years
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4