天女
tennyo
The English phrase "celestial maiden" is translated into Japanese as 天女 (tennyo).
天女 refers to a divine female being or spirit from the heavens in East Asian mythology.
How do you pronounce it?
tennyo
Did you know?
- The most famous 天女 in Japanese folklore is the one in the story 'Hagoromo', who cannot return to the heavens after a fisherman steals her feathered robe.
- The term 天女 is a loanword from Middle Chinese, reflecting the historical influence of Buddhist and Taoist concepts on Japanese spirituality.
- In some Japanese folklore traditions, a 天女 is not just a spirit but a guardian of the 'heavenly river', which is how the Milky Way is described in Japan.
Examples in context
- 絵の中に美しい天女が描かれている。e no naka ni utsukushii tennyo ga kakarete iru.A beautiful celestial maiden is depicted in the painting.
- 伝説では、天女が地上に降りてくる。densetsu de wa, tennyo ga chijō ni orite kuru.In the legend, a celestial maiden descends to earth.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at an old traditional Japanese painting in a museum.
- 結衣 Yuiこの絵の天女はとても美しいね。kono e no tennyo wa totemo utsukushii ne.The celestial maiden in this painting is very beautiful, isn't she?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に。まるで天から舞い降りたみたいだ。hontō ni. maru de ten kara mai orita mitai da.She really is. It's as if she just descended from the heavens.
- 結衣 Yui大翔君もそう思う？Hiroto-kun mo sō omou?Do you think so too, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、すごく神秘的だね。un, sugoku shinpiteki da ne.Yeah, it's very mystical.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 天女, CC BY-SA 4.0.
