天上の
tenjō no
The Japanese word for 'heavenly' is 天上の (tenjō no).
天上の is used to describe something that is extremely beautiful or pleasurable. It is most commonly found in literary, religious or poetic contexts rather than in everyday casual conversation.
Meaning: extremely beautiful or pleasurable (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of 天上, which literally means 'above the sky' or 'the celestial realm'.
Which one should you use?
While 天上の refers to the heavenly or celestial, it is the direct antonym of 地上の, which means 'earthly' or 'on the ground'. Other related terms include 天空の for 'heavenly' or 'celestial', and 神聖な for 'divine' or 'sacred'.
How do you pronounce it?
tenjō no
Did you know?
- To describe something as 'heavenly' in a casual, sensory way, such as a delicious meal, Japanese speakers rarely use 天上の and instead use 最高 or 至福, meaning 'the best' or 'supreme bliss'.
- While 天上の describes a celestial state, Japanese often uses the word 天国 to refer to 'heaven' as a destination, a term heavily influenced by the introduction of Christianity to Japan.
- In Japanese Buddhism, the concept of 'heaven' is not a single place but consists of multiple different realms, meaning 天上の can refer to various levels of existence depending on the context.
Examples in context
- わたしが地上のことを語っているのに、あなたがたが信じないならば、天上のことを語った場合、どうしてそれを信じるだろうか。If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?This sentence is useful for contrasting the telling of earthly things with the telling of 天上の things.Tatoeba #125205 by WestofEden, translation #278788 by WestofEden
- 彼女の歌声は天空の輝きを持っています。Her voice carries the radiance of the heavens.
- あの場所から見た夜空は天空のように美しかった。The night sky seen from that place was as beautiful as the heavens.
- 彼女の笑顔は神聖なものでした。Her smile was something sacred.
Example conversation
Hiroto and Misaki are listening to a beautiful piece of music.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの曲は本当に素晴らしいね。Kono kyoku wa hontō ni subarashii ne.This song is truly wonderful, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misakiええ、天上の響きだと思います。Ee, tenjō no hibiki da to omoimasu.Yes, I think it's a heavenly sound.
- 大翔 Hiroto心が洗われるようだ。Kokoro ga arawareru yō da.It feels like my soul is being cleansed.
- 美咲 Misaki私も同じ気持ちです。Watashi mo onaji kimochi desu.I feel the same way.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
