叫天天不應，叫地地不靈

Chinese
 
to call; to yell; to be called
to call; to yell; to be called; to order
 day; sky; heaven day; sky; heaven
 
to call; to yell; to be called
to call; to yell; to be called; to order
 
earth; ground; field
earth; ground; field; place; land; (subor. part. adverbial); ‑ly
 
earth; ground; field
earth; ground; field; place; land; (subor. part. adverbial); ‑ly
trad. (叫天天不應，叫地地不靈) 叫 天 天 不應 ， 叫 地 地 不靈
simp. (叫天天不应，叫地地不灵) 叫 天 天 不应 ， 叫 地 地 不灵

Etymology

Literally: Cry out to the heavens, but the heavens don't respond. Cry out to the earth, but the earth is impervious.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jiào tiān tiān bù yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄥˋ , ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄉㄧˋ ㄉㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧㄥˊ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: jiào tiān tiān bù yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng [Phonetic: jiào tiān tiān bú yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng]
      • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄅㄨˋ ㄧㄥˋ , ㄐㄧㄠˋ ㄉㄧˋ ㄉㄧˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧㄥˊ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: jiào tian tian bù yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng
      • Wade–Giles: chiao4 tʻien1 tʻien1 pu4 ying4, chiao4 ti4 ti4 pu4 ling2
      • Yale: jyàu tyān tyān bù yìng-, jyàu dì dì bù líng
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiaw tian tian bu yinq, jiaw dih dih bu ling
      • Palladius: цзяо тянь тянь бу ин, цзяо ди ди бу лин (czjao tjanʹ tjanʹ bu in, czjao di di bu lin)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ iŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ ti⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ liŋ³⁵/

Idiom

叫天天不應，叫地地不靈

  1. to be up the creek without a paddle; to be without any aid
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