Definition

1. Noun:
   • Tonkin creeper (Chinese violet): A flowering vine (Telosma cordata) native to Asia, known for its fragrant, star-shaped yellow-green flowers that bloom in clusters.
   • Heavenly principle / natural order: A classical Sino-Vietnamese philosophical term referring to the inherent moral principles or natural laws governing the universe and human conduct.

Usage Examples

• Noun (plant):
  • Hoa thiên lí có mùi thơm rất đặc trưng. (Tonkin creeper flowers have a very distinctive fragrance.)
  • Dây thiên lí thường được trồng ở giàn. (The Tonkin creeper vine is often grown on trellises.)
• Noun (philosophical concept):
  • Theo Nho giáo, con người cần thuận theo thiên lí. (According to Confucianism, humans must follow the heavenly principle.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is used in classical literature and ethical discourse to denote a cosmic moral standard.
  • Làm việc trái với thiên lí sẽ bị quả báo. (Acting against the natural order will bring retribution.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cây thiên lí: Tonkin creeper plant.
  • Cây thiên lí ra hoa vào mùa hè. (The Tonkin creeper plant blooms in summer.)
• Hoa thiên lí: Tonkin creeper flower.
  • Hoa thiên lí có thể dùng để nấu canh. (Tonkin creeper flowers can be used to cook soup.)

Synonyms

• Plant: Tonkin creeper, Chinese violet, .
• Concept: Natural law, cosmic order, moral principle.

Related Idioms

• Thuận thiên lí: To follow the natural order/heaven's way.
  • Sống thuận thiên lí thì tâm mới an. (One's mind can only be at peace by living in accordance with the natural order.)