Japanese Conversation · Level 134
61 words
Japanese word
天下
Pronunciation
Romajitenka
Meaning
- nounthe world
Example
彼は天下を取りました。kare wa ten ka o to ri ma shi ta
He conquered the world.
More examples
この物語では、王が天下を治めています。ko no monogatari de wa ō ga ten ka o osa me te i ma su
In this story, the king rules the world.
Core concept
Presents the world as the entire realm existing under the sky, including its people and lands.
Common phrases
天下を取るten ka o to ru
conquer the world
天下泰平ten ka tai hei
peace throughout the land
Similar words
世界sekai: The earth and all the people and places in it.
世の中yononaka: The society and conditions in which people live.
Definition in Japanese
空の下にある人々の暮らす世界や国土全体。sora no shita ni a ru hito bito no ku ra su se kai ya koku do zen tai
Word origin
天下 (tenka) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 天 (ten, "heaven") and 下 (ka, "under"), meaning everything under heaven.
Usage tips
- In historical contexts, 天下 (tenka) can mean the whole realm under a ruler, while modern speakers usually use 世界 (sekai) for the world in everyday conversation.