n., m.
The vast space overhead; the sky and heavens above. Heaven, day (time unit), weather, nature, God — also a measure word counting days (一天 = one day).
天
Common Usage & Traps
- 今天 — today
- 每天 — every day
- 一天 — one day
- 天天 — every day (chattier)
-
一个天一天天 already does the counting job itself, so you never bolt 个 onto it.
-
在天在天上 / 在天空For the 'sky' meaning, real speech wants 天上 or 天空, not bare 天.
Why do you say 一天 and never 一个天?
天 is the counter itself, so you say 一天, never 一个天.
天 already handles the counting job for days, so a number in front is all you need. Saying 一个天 is like hiring a second counter for a job that's already done. The same logic runs through the whole sentence: 两三年, 四五天, 五分钟 — no 个 anywhere. Once you see 天 as the counter and not just a thing being counted, the mistake stops feeling tempting.
“工作两三年，休息四五天，读书一小时，吃饭五分钟。” (Work for two or three years, rest for four or five days, read for an hour, eat for five minutes.)
“工作两三年，休息四五天，读书一小时，吃饭五分钟。” (Work for two or three years, rest for four or five days, read for an hour, eat for five minutes.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One day | 一天 | 一个天 |
| Three days | 三天 | 三个天 |
| Four or five days | 四五天 | 四五个天 |
| Duration after a verb | 休息四五天 | 休息四五个天 |
Do 天天 and 每天 actually mean the same thing?
Same meaning, different vibe — 天天 is the chattier, more emotional twin.
每天 is the neutral, safe pick for writing, work emails, and news. 天天 carries the same meaning but feels warmer or mildly annoyed, like a small eye-roll. If you're complaining that a coworker is late every single day, 天天 lands harder. Both are correct, so choose by tone, not by grammar rules.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral, all-purpose | 我每天八点起床 | |
| Chatty or mildly annoyed | 他天天迟到 | |
| Formal report or email | 每天 | 天天 (too casual) |
| Doubling up both | 每天天天 |
Same character, two meanings — how do you tell if 天 means 'day' or 'sky'?
Context decides — 今天 is a day, 天上 is the sky.
Standing alone, 天 usually points up at the sky: 天很蓝, 天上有一只鸟. Once you glue it to a time word like 今, 明, 昨, or 每, it flips into 'day'. The character never changed — the word sitting next to it tells you which meaning is live. Reading the neighbor, not the character, is the trick.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning 'today' | 今天 | 天 (bare) |
| Meaning 'sky' | 天很蓝 | 蓝天蓝 (redundant) |
| Being up in the sky | 在天上飞 / 在天空飞 | 在天飞 |
| Referring to 'tomorrow' | 明天 | 天 alone |
Appears in Stories 5 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
-
小李站在窗户旁边，能看见远处的 天 都变成黄色的了。
Welcome! This short poem helps you practice the months, weekdays, and mealtimes in Chinese. Read it aloud and notice the rhythm. You already know many of these words!
-
星期日和 天 ，日日和爱人，超市买菜米，回家做饭忙。
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
-
工作两三年，休息四五 天 ，读书一小时，吃饭五分钟。
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
-
二零一九年，八月十六日，回国第七日，生病第一 天 。
Before you read, close your eyes and imagine a rainy afternoon. This story uses simple HSK 1 words to show how rain can become a talking friend.
-
我在家看 天 。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
No questions or discussions yet. Have a question about this character/word? Be the first to ask!