tonatiuh
The English phrase "sun" is translated into Nahuatl as tonatiuh.
Use tonatiuh when referring specifically to the Sun as a celestial body or the deity. For a more general term meaning a star or the center of a solar system, use tonatih.
Meaning: the star around which the Earth revolves (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The word tonatiuh is derived from the root for 'shining' or 'radiating'.
Which one should you use?
tonatiuh refers specifically to the Sun (the celestial body or the deity), whereas tonatih is used to describe any star or the center of a solar system.
Related words
Did you know?
- The Aztecs believed tonatiuh required constant nourishment in the form of human blood to ensure he would continue to rise each day.
- In Aztec mythology, tonatiuh was not just a deity but the ruler of the Fifth Sun, the current era of the world we inhabit.
- In the Aztec Sun Stone, one of the most famous sculptures in Mexico, tonatiuh is depicted as the central face staring out at the viewer.
Example conversation
Xitlali and José are walking outside on a hot day.
- XitlaliTonatiuh tlen itechtonen?Is the sun too strong?
- JoséOye, tonatiuh tlatzinoa.Yes, the sun is burning.
- XitlaliTinehui tlen tlacualli.Let's find some food.
- JoséHuey tonatiuh tlacatla.The big sun is shining.
