Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
天生tiānshēng(tian1sheng1)
天生 (tiānshēng) refers to qualities or traits that are inherent or innate to a person or thing, often used to describe someone's natural disposition. This term can be applied in various contexts, such as talent, personality, or natural characteristics, emphasizing that these traits are not acquired but rather a part of one's nature from birth.
Strokes9Frequency#2941DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 天生 is often linked to beliefs in destiny and the idea that some abilities or characteristics are predetermined, which can influence how individuals perceive personal growth and development.
Memory Tip
Imagine a baby (天) looking up at the sky (生) right after it's born, symbolizing its innate qualities coming from nature. The character '天' means 'sky' or 'heaven,' indicating something divine or natural, while '生' means 'to give birth' or 'to be born,' connecting back to the idea of innate traits.
Meanings of 天生
tiānshēng(tian1sheng1)
1nature
2disposition
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 天生 means.
About 天生
天生Simplified
9Strokes
—Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#2941Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 天生
Podcast: 天生
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 天生
Quick Contrast
天赋 (tiānfù) refers specifically to a natural talent or gift, while 天生 (tiānshēng) emphasizes inherent qualities or traits from birth. Use 天生 for broader innate characteristics, and 天赋 when specifically discussing talents.
Usage Notes
天生 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious not to confuse it with 学生 (xuéshēng, student), which refers to someone who learns rather than an innate quality. Common collocations include 天生才华 (tiānshēng cáihuá, innate talent) and 天生的领导能力 (tiānshēng de lǐngdǎo nénglì, natural leadership ability).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 天生 connects with other words describing characteristics and qualities, such as 性格 (xìnggé, personality) and 本性 (běnxìng, nature). Students should focus on recognizing how this word can describe both positive and negative traits depending on the context.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 天生 with 自学 (zìxué, self-taught), mistakenly implying that innate qualities can be learned. For instance, saying '他是一个自学的天生领导' (He is a self-taught natural leader) would be incorrect; instead, use '他是一个天生的领导'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 天生
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 天生 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 天生 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 天生?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 天生 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
天生 (tiānshēng) refers to qualities or traits that are inherent or innate to a person or thing, often used to describe someone's natural disposition. This term can be applied in various contexts, such as talent, personality, or natural characteristics, emphasizing that these traits are not acquired but rather a part of one's nature from birth.
When to use 天生
天生 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious not to confuse it with 学生 (xuéshēng, student), which refers to someone who learns rather than an innate quality. Common collocations include 天生才华 (tiānshēng cáihuá, innate talent) and 天生的领导能力 (tiānshēng de lǐngdǎo nénglì, natural leadership ability).
天生 or something close to it
天赋 (tiānfù) refers specifically to a natural talent or gift, while 天生 (tiānshēng) emphasizes inherent qualities or traits from birth. Use 天生 for broader innate characteristics, and 天赋 when specifically discussing talents.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 天生 with 自学 (zìxué, self-taught), mistakenly implying that innate qualities can be learned. For instance, saying '他是一个自学的天生领导' (He is a self-taught natural leader) would be incorrect; instead, use '他是一个天生的领导'.
Write 天生
天
生
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 天生 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 天生
天生 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
洛伦佐是____的领袖，善于交友。
Lorenzo was a natural leader who made friends easily.
The majority have a built-in Luddite mentality; they are resistant to change.
8
她在梦中焦虑不安，反映了她白天生活的基调。
tā zài mèng zhōng jiāo lǜ bù ān， ， fǎn yìng le tā bái tiān shēng huó de jī。
Her dreams were troubled, reflecting the tenor of her waking hours.
9
谢纳托罗娃女士对市场经济学有一种天生的敏感。
xiè nà tuō luó wá nǚ shì duì shì cháng jīng jì xué yǒu yī zhǒng tiān shēng de mǐn gǎn。
Ms Senatorova showed an instinctive feel for market economics.
10
她拥有那种天生的优雅，举手投足都彬彬有礼。
tā yōng yǒu nà zhǒng tiān shēng de yōu yǎ， ， jǔ shǒu tóu zú dū bīn bīn yǒu。
She had that inbred politeness, it was a part of her.
11
他在音乐方面有天生的才华，几乎不用练习就能弹出美妙的旋律。
Tā zài yīnyuè fāngmiàn yǒu tiānshēng de cáihuá, jīhū bùyòng liànxí jiù néng tán chū měimiào de xuánlǜ.
He has a natural talent for music and can play beautiful melodies with almost no practice.
12
天生的幽默感使得她在社交场合总能轻松化解尴尬。
Tiānshēng de yōumògǎn shǐde tā zài shèjiāo chǎnghé zǒng néng qīngsōng huàjiě gāngà.
Her natural sense of humor always helps her easily diffuse awkward situations in social settings.
13
她天生具有艺术家的眼光，总能发现美的细节。
Tā tiānshēng jùyǒu yìshùjiā de yǎnguāng, zǒng néng fāxiàn měi de xìjié.
She has a natural artist's eye and can always spot beautiful details.
14
他的幽默感是天生的，总能让大家开怀大笑。
Tā de yōumògǎn shì tiānshēng de, zǒng néng ràng dàjiā kāihuái dà xiào.
His sense of humor is natural and always makes everyone laugh.
15
天生的领导才能让她在公司里备受尊重。
Tiānshēng de lǐngdǎo cáinéng ràng tā zài gōngsī lǐ bèishòu zūnzhòng.
Her natural leadership skills earn her great respect in the company.
16
他天生就有音乐的天赋，能自己创作出动听的旋律。
Tā tiānshēng jiù yǒu yīnyuè de tiānfù, néng zìjǐ chuàngzuò chū dòngtīng de xuánlǜ.
He has a natural musical talent and can compose beautiful melodies on his own.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 天生?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Frequently Asked Questions about 天生
No, 天生 specifically refers to innate qualities; for learned skills, use words like 学习 (xuéxí, to learn) or 获得 (huòdé, to acquire).
It can be used in both contexts; for example, 天生的优点 (tiānshēng de yōudiǎn, innate strengths) is positive, while 天生的缺陷 (tiānshēng de quēxiàn, innate flaws) is negative.
Make sure to use the first tone (high and level) for both characters: tiān (天) and shēng (生).
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 天生?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
