天候

• Reading: てんこう
• Romaji: tenkou
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten) — heaven, sky; 候 (kou) — climate, season, sign
• Pronunciation: /teŋ.koː/

Meaning

Weather; atmospheric conditions. A somewhat formal term for weather.

A noun for weather conditions, more formal than 天気 (tenki). While 天気 is used in everyday conversation (今日の天気 / kyou no tenki, today's weather), 天候 appears in news, reports, and formal contexts: 天候不良 (tenkou furyou, bad weather conditions), 天候に左右される (tenkou ni sayuu sareru, to be affected by weather). Often implies weather over a longer period.

Examples

1. 天候が悪いため飛行機が欠航になった。 The flight was canceled due to bad weather conditions.
2. 来週の天候によってイベントの日程を決める。 We'll decide the event date depending on next week's weather.
3. 天候に恵まれて運動会は無事に終わった。 We were blessed with good weather, and the sports day ended without a hitch.

Usage Guide

Context: news, travel, planning

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 天 (ten, heaven/sky) and 候 (kou, climate/season/sign). Literally 'signs from the sky' — the conditions the heavens present.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal