VocabularyJLPT N5 · core

天

てん

hepburn ten

heaven, sky, the heavens

Part of speech · noun

Pattern visualization

天heavens

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Examples

天は青いです。
The sky is blue.
天国に行く。
I go to heaven.

Collocations

天 (ten, heaven)天国 (tengoku)天皇 (tennou)天才 (tensai)天気 (tenki)

Mnemonic

Ten-heaven (天) is "heaven / sky" — A + cluster (Tennou / Amaterasu / tenmei cultural cluster — Japans ancient ten faith). Homophone with ten-counter (点 — point / score) separate entry. Cluster: (1) tennou (Emperor — Japans monarch); (2) Amaterasu (sun goddess, Japans progenitor); (3) tenmei (fate / mandate of heaven); (4) tensai (genius); (5) tenki (weather); (6) tengoku (heaven / paradise); (7) tenjou (ceiling). Korean haneul / cheonguk / cheonmyeong and Chinese tian / tiankong / tiantang parallel; Japans Tennou system plus Amaterasu myth unique.

Quick check

Tennou system progenitor?