天
JLPT N5
Heaven, sky, nature, divine
Readings
On’yomi: テン (ten)
Kun’yomi: あま ()
Detailed Explanation
Vocabulary
天気
てんき
weather
天国
てんごく
heaven
天空
てんくう
sky
天才
てんさい
genius
天使
てんし
angel
Example Sentences
今日は天気がいいです。
きょうは てんきが いいです。
The weather is good today.
天国のようです。
てんごくの ようです。
It feels like heaven.
天才だと思います。
てんさいだと おもいます。
I think he is a genius.
Cultural Note
天 (heaven / sky) carries deep cultural and historical significance in Japan:
1. Shinto and religion:
o 天 appears in religious contexts like 天照大神 (あまてらすおおみかみ, Amaterasu Ōmikami), the sun goddess.
o Symbolizes divinity, guidance, and the natural order.
2. Imperial significance:
o The word 天皇 (tennō) literally means “heavenly sovereign,” linking the Emperor with divine authority.
3. Idiomatic usage:
o 天才 (genius), 天国 (heaven), and 天下 (the world) all reflect elevated, extraordinary, or overarching qualities.
4. Daily life:
o Appears in weather terms (天気), celestial events (天文), and astrology (天体).
1. Shinto and religion:
o 天 appears in religious contexts like 天照大神 (あまてらすおおみかみ, Amaterasu Ōmikami), the sun goddess.
o Symbolizes divinity, guidance, and the natural order.
2. Imperial significance:
o The word 天皇 (tennō) literally means “heavenly sovereign,” linking the Emperor with divine authority.
3. Idiomatic usage:
o 天才 (genius), 天国 (heaven), and 天下 (the world) all reflect elevated, extraordinary, or overarching qualities.
4. Daily life:
o Appears in weather terms (天気), celestial events (天文), and astrology (天体).