Translation guide
The upper interior surface of a room, or a metaphorical upper limit.
The overhead surface inside a room.
Standard word for the ceiling of a room.
This room has a high ceiling, doesn't it?
The ceiling is leaking.
A maximum limit, such as for prices, speed, or ability.
Upper limit or cap, used for numerical or abstract limits.
The budget ceiling is one million yen.
Can also mean a metaphorical ceiling, especially in stock prices or ability.
Loanword from English 'cap', used in contexts like salary caps or interest rate caps.
The maximum altitude an aircraft can reach, or the height of cloud base.
Used in aviation for service ceiling or cloud ceiling.
Often replaced by more specific terms like 上昇限度 (しょうしょうげんど) or 雲底 (うんてい) in technical contexts.
The service ceiling of this aircraft is 10,000 meters.
天井 is primarily the physical ceiling of a room. It can be used metaphorically for limits, especially in stock markets or when something has peaked. 上限 is the standard word for an upper limit or cap in rules, budgets, etc.
Set a ceiling on prices.
株価は天井を打った。
The stock price has hit a ceiling.
salary cap system