heaven and earth; the universe
A yojijukugo originating from the opening of the Thousand Character Classic (千字文). Literally 'heaven is black and earth is yellow', it poetically refers to the cosmos or the natural order. Used in literary or classical contexts.
「天地玄黄」は千字文の最初の句として知られている。
'Tenchi Genkō' is known as the opening phrase of the Thousand Character Classic.