天井

• Reading: てんじょう
• Romaji: tenjou
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten) — sky, heaven; 井 (i) — well, ceiling
• Pronunciation: /te.ɴ.dʑo.ː/

Meaning

Ceiling; peak (price); highest point. The upper limit beyond which prices or market values cannot rise further.

Literally meaning 'ceiling' in architectural Japanese, 天井 is used metaphorically in finance to describe a price ceiling or resistance level that a market struggles to break through. 天井をつける (tenjou wo tsukeru) means 'to peak.' The technical antonym is 底 (soko, floor or trough). 天井知らず (tenjou shirazu) means 'sky-high; no ceiling' — describing prices that keep rising.

Examples

1. 株価は三か月の上昇を経て、ついに天井をつけた。 After three months of gains, the stock price finally peaked.
2. 不動産価格が天井知らずに高騰し、購入をあきらめる人が続出した。 Real estate prices soared with no ceiling in sight, and a growing number of people gave up on buying.
3. 市場関係者の間では、そろそろ天井が近いという見方が広まっている。 Among market participants, the view that a peak is near has been spreading.

Usage Guide

Context: financial markets, real estate, market analysis

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 天 (ten) meaning 'sky, heaven' and 井 (i/jou) meaning 'well.' The original meaning refers to the interior ceiling of a building; the financial usage is a natural metaphor for an upper limit.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Investors, analysts

Social background: Financial professionals