天地
also: あめつち
Meanings
heaven and earth; the universe; nature
A broad, somewhat elevated noun for the whole expanse of heaven and earth, the universe, the world, or nature. Usually read てんち in modern Japanese; あめつち is literary or archaic.
Ancient people regarded heaven and earth as sacred.
We give thanks for the blessings of nature.
Only with reading てんち
Read てんち. Often appears in compounds or set phrases such as 新天地 and 別天地, meaning a new place, realm, or world of activity.
He moved to Hokkaido in search of a new life in a new place.
The hot spring deep in the mountains was a world apart from the city.
Only with reading てんち
Read てんち. Used for the vertical orientation of a page, photo, box, printed matter, and similar objects; 天地が逆 means 'upside down'.
This photo is upside down.
Please check which side of the box is up before opening it.
Only with reading あめつち
Archaic use restricted to the reading あめつち. It refers to the deities of heaven and earth rather than to ordinary 'top and bottom' or 'world' senses.
In classical usage, ametsuchi can refer to the gods of heaven and earth.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉の天地を逆にするto turn something upside down (reverse its top and bottom)
I ended up carrying the package upside down.
- 〈事〉に天地の差があるthere is a world of difference (between two things)
There is a huge gap between the two players' skill levels.
- 天地を揺るがす〈事〉an earth-shaking (momentous) event
It was an earth-shaking incident.