天网恢恢 tiān wǎng huī huī Heaven's net

Explanation

比喻天网虽然宽大，但没有一个坏人能逃脱，最终都会受到惩罚。形容作恶多端的人即使一时逍遥法外，最终也难逃法律的制裁。

A metaphor for the fact that although the net of heaven is wide, no evildoer can escape, and will eventually be punished. It describes that even if those who do evil are temporarily free from the law, they will eventually be punished by the law.

Origin Story

春秋时期，晋国有一个叫赵武的人，他为人正直，一心为国。一次，他奉命出使齐国，途中遇到一位算命先生。算命先生掐指一算，说他会有大难，劝他不要去。赵武不相信命运，执意前往。结果，他果然在途中遭到强盗的袭击，被抢劫一空，还受了重伤。但他并没有气馁，反而更加坚定了自己的信念，认为天网恢恢，疏而不漏，任何罪恶最终都会受到惩罚。后来，他回到晋国，将此事告诉了国君，国君对他这种不畏艰难，坚守正义的精神大加赞赏，并任命他为将军。赵武率兵征战，屡建奇功，最终成为一代名将。这个故事告诉我们，正义可能会迟到，但不会缺席，天网恢恢，疏而不漏，最终恶人一定会受到惩罚。

chūn qiū shí qī, jìn guó yǒu yīgè jiào zhào wǔ de rén, tā wéi rén zhèng zhí, yī xīn wèi guó. yī cì, tā fèng mìng chū shǐ qí guó, tú zhōng yù dào yī wèi suàn mìng xiānshēng. suàn mìng xiānshēng qiā zhǐ yī suàn, shuō tā huì yǒu dà nàn, quàn tā bù yào qù. zhào wǔ bù xiāngxìn mìng yùn, zhí yì qián wǎng. jié guǒ, tā guǒrán zài tú zhōng zāodào qiáng dào de xí jī, bèi qiǎng jié yī kōng, hái shòu le zhòng shāng. dàn tā bìng méiyǒu qì nǎi, fǎn'ér gèng jiā jiāndiàn le zìjǐ de xìnyàn, rènwéi tiān wǎng huī huī, shū ér bù lòu, rènhé zuì'è zuì zhōng dōu huì shòudào chéngfá. hòulái, tā huí dào jìn guó, jiāng cǐ shì gàosù le guó jūn, guó jūn duì tā zhè zhǒng bù wèi jiānnán, jiānshǒu zhèngyì de jīngshén dà jiā zànshǎng, bìng rèn mìng tā wèi jiāng jūn. zhào wǔ shuài bīng zhēng zhàn, lǚ jiàn qí gōng, zuì zhōng chéngwéi yī dài míng jiàng. zhège gùshì gàosù wǒmen, zhèngyì kěnéng huì chídào, dàn bù huì quē xí, tiān wǎng huī huī, shū ér bù lòu, zuì zhōng èrén yīdìng huì shòudào chéngfá.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a man named Zhao Wu in the Jin state, who was a righteous man and devoted his whole heart to his country. Once, he was ordered to go to Qi, and on his way he met a fortune teller. The fortune teller calculated and said that he would have great difficulties and advised him not to go. Zhao Wu did not believe in fate and insisted on going. As a result, he was indeed attacked by bandits on the way, robbed, and seriously injured. However, he did not lose heart, but instead became even more determined in his belief that the net of heaven is vast, yet lets nothing escape, and that any evil will eventually be punished. Later, he returned to Jin and told the ruler about it. The ruler greatly praised his spirit of not fearing difficulties and upholding justice and appointed him as a general. Zhao Wu led troops to war and repeatedly achieved great merit, eventually becoming a famous general. This story tells us that justice may be delayed, but it will not be absent. The net of heaven is vast, yet lets nothing escape; eventually, evildoers will be punished.

Usage

常用来形容罪犯最终难逃法律的制裁，强调正义必胜。

cháng yòng lái xíngróng zuìfàn zuì zhōng nán táo fǎlǜ de zhìcái, qiángdiào zhèngyì bì shèng

Often used to describe how criminals will eventually be punished by the law, emphasizing that justice will prevail.

Examples

• 天网恢恢，疏而不漏，最终坏人都会受到法律的制裁。

  tiān wǎng huī huī, shū ér bù lòu, zuì zhōng huài rén dōu huì shòudào fǎlǜ de zhìcái.

  The net of heaven has wide meshes, yet lets nothing escape. Evil-doers will eventually be punished.

• 虽然他逃窜多年，但天网恢恢，最终还是被抓捕归案。

  suīrán tā táo cuàn duō nián, dàn tiān wǎng huī huī, zuì zhōng háishì bèi zhuā bǔ guī àn

  Although he fled for many years, he was eventually arrested because justice always prevails.

Related Idioms

• 因果报应

• 罪有应得

Opposite Idioms

• 逍遥法外

• 为所欲为