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天才 (てんさい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

天てん才さい

て

ん

さ

い

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun

genius; prodigy; natural gift

Refers to a person with extraordinary innate talent or the talent itself. Often used admiringly, but can be hyperbolic in casual speech.

Antonyms: 凡才

彼かれは数すう学がくの天てん才さいだ。
He is a mathematical genius.

モーツァルトは音おん楽がくの天てん才さいと呼よばれている。

Mozart is called a musical prodigy.

Kanji

天heavens, sky, imperial
才genius, years old, cubic shaku

Similar words

秀しゅう才さい
秀才 emphasizes academic brilliance and hard work, while 天才 implies innate, almost miraculous talent.
凡ぼん才さい
凡才 is the direct antonym listed, meaning a person of ordinary ability.

Etymology

From 天 (heaven) + 才 (talent), literally 'heaven-given talent'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with innate, extraordinary ability.