noun
the gods of heaven and earth
A yojijukugo used in solemn oaths or declarations, invoking all deities as witnesses. Often appears in set phrases like 天地神明に誓って (I swear by all the gods of heaven and earth).
天地神明に誓って、真実を話します。
I swear by all the gods of heaven and earth that I will tell the truth.
A yojijukugo combining 天地 (heaven and earth) and 神明 (gods, deities). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the phrase is conventionally used in formal oaths.