retribution; karma; payback
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
karmic retribution; payback for one's actions
A Buddhist term. Originally referred to the general law of cause and effect (good deeds bring good results, bad deeds bring bad results). In modern common usage, it almost exclusively refers to the negative retribution for evil actions, equivalent to 'what goes around comes around' or 'getting one's just deserts'.
Tā他
zuò做
le了
nà那
me么
duō多
huài坏
shì事
，
chí迟
zǎo早
huì会
yǒu有
bào报
yìng应
。
He has done so many bad things; retribution will come sooner or later.
Zhè这
bù不
shì是
tiān天
zāi灾
，
shì是
bào*
yìng*
报
应
*
*
。
This isn't a natural disaster; it's retribution.
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Lǎo老
rén人
men们
cháng常
shuō说
，
shàn善
yǒu有
shàn善
bào报
，
è恶
yǒu有
è恶
bào报
，
zhè这
jiù就
shì是
bào*
yìng*
报
应
*
*
。
Old people often say, good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil retribution; this is karma.