点

• Reading: てん
• Romaji: ten
• Kanji breakdown: 点 (ten) — point, dot, mark, score
• Pronunciation: /teɴ/

Meaning

Mark; score; grade; point; dot. A numerical score or a specific point of focus.

A highly versatile noun. In education, it means test scores (百点 = 100 points, 満点 = perfect score). Also used as a counter for items, a geometric point, or a focal point in discussion. Common expressions include いい点を取る (get a good score) and この点について (regarding this point).

Examples

1. 数学のテストで九十点を取った。 I got ninety points on the math test.
2. いくつかの点について質問があります。 I have questions about a few points.
3. 満点を取るのはとても難しい。 Getting a perfect score is really difficult.

Usage Guide

Context: exams, discussion, scoring

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Chinese 點. The kanji depicts a black mark (黒 + 占), originally meaning a dot or spot. Extended to mean scores and focal points.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal