恬てん

て

ん

Meanings

taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

obsolete term

Obsolete literary word used almost exclusively in the adverbial phrase 恬として, meaning 'calmly', 'with indifference', or 'nonchalantly'.

Kanji

恬composure

Related words

平へい然ぜん
平然 is a more common word for 'calm' or 'unperturbed', while 恬 is an obsolete literary term.
泰たい然ぜん
泰然 means 'composed' or 'self-possessed', often with a nuance of dignity, whereas 恬 emphasizes indifference or nonchalance.

Word family

恬てん淡たん
disinterested; unselfish; indifferent; detached
恬てん然ぜん
cool; indifferent; nonchalant; calm
恬てんとして
coolly; indifferently; nonchalantly; calmly

Written forms

恬てんUsage25%
Obsolete kanji form; the word is almost always encountered in the fixed expression 恬として.
てんUsage75%

Etymology

The kanji 恬 is of Chinese origin, combining 心 (heart/mind) and 甜 (sweet) as a phonetic component, suggesting a sweet or calm state of mind. The exact historical derivation in Japanese is uncertain; the word is now obsolete outside the fixed expression 恬として.