天分

• Reading: てんぶん
• Romaji: tenbun
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten/ama) — heaven; 分 (bun/waka) — share, portion, allotment
• Pronunciation: /tem.bɯŋ/

Meaning

Natural talent; gift; innate ability. A capacity or aptitude that one is born with rather than developed through training.

A formal noun emphasising the inborn nature of a talent. Slightly more elevated in register than 才能 (talent), with 天 (heaven) implying the gift was bestowed from above. Often used in literary and evaluative contexts to describe artists, musicians, or leaders whose abilities seem to exceed what hard work alone could produce.

Examples

1. 音楽の天分に恵まれた子どもが育つ環境を整える必要がある。 It is necessary to create an environment in which children blessed with a natural gift for music can flourish.
2. 彼には指導者としての天分が備わっていた。 He was endowed with a natural gift for leadership.
3. 努力だけでなく、天分の差が結果に影響することもある。 Not only effort, but differences in innate talent can also influence outcomes.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, arts, biography

Tone: admiring

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of 天 (heaven) and 分 (share, portion). The idea is that heaven has allotted each person a portion of ability — some receive more than others.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Intellectual