天体

• Reading: てんたい
• Romaji: tentai
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten) — heaven, sky; 体 (tai) — body, object, substance
• Pronunciation: /teɴ.tai/

Meaning

Heavenly body; celestial body; astronomical object. A natural object in space such as a star, planet, or moon.

A noun used in astronomy and science to refer to any natural object in outer space — stars, planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and galaxies. Forms the base of common compounds like 天体観測 (tentai kansoku, astronomical observation) and 天体望遠鏡 (tentai bouenkyou, astronomical telescope). Used in both educational and popular science contexts.

Examples

1. 肉眼でも見える天体がいくつかある。 There are several celestial bodies visible to the naked eye.
2. 天体の動きは古代から人々を魅了してきた。 The movement of celestial bodies has fascinated people since ancient times.
3. 新しい天体が発見されたというニュースを読んだ。 I read the news that a new celestial body had been discovered.

Usage Guide

Context: astronomy, science education, stargazing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 天 (ten, heaven/sky) + 体 (tai, body/object). Literally 'heavenly body' — an object that exists in the sky or cosmos.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal