天
天 means “heaven,” “sky,” or “nature” in Japanese. Its shape can be understood as something above a person.
Reading
On’yomi: テン (ten)
Kun’yomi: あめ (ame), あま- (ama-)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 天 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | heaven, sky |
| Stroke Count | 4 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
天 appears in words about the sky, weather, heaven, natural things, and special talent. The most important beginner word is 天気, meaning weather.
Common Words
- 天気（てんき / tenki） — weather
- 天国（てんごく / tengoku） — heaven, paradise
- 天井（てんじょう / tenjō） — ceiling
- 天才（てんさい / tensai） — genius
- 天然（てんねん / tennen） — natural
- 天の川（あまのがわ / Amanogawa） — Milky Way
Example Sentences
-
今日の天気はどうですか？
きょうのてんきはどうですか？ / Kyō no tenki wa dō desu ka?
What is the weather like today?
-
天気がいいので外で昼ごはんを食べました。
てんきがいいのでそとでひるごはんをたべました。 / Tenki ga ii node soto de hirugohan o tabemashita.
Since the weather was nice, I ate lunch outside.
-
夜空に天の川が見えます。
よぞらにあまのがわがみえます。 / Yozora ni Amanogawa ga miemasu.
The Milky Way is visible in the night sky.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The reading てん is the most common. Learn 天気 early because it is used in everyday conversation. 天 is visually close to 大, but the extra top stroke represents what is above the person.
Summary
天 means sky or heaven and is important for weather and nature vocabulary.