noun
vocation; calling; life's work
Refers to a job or role one feels destined to do, often with a sense of personal mission or natural fit.
彼は教師を天職だと思っている。
He considers teaching his vocation.
看護師は彼女にとって天職だった。
Nursing was her calling.
noun
sacred duty; divine mission
Historical and formal; especially used for the emperor's rule as a heaven-ordained task. Rare in modern everyday language.
天皇の統治は天職とされた。
The emperor's rule was regarded as a sacred duty.
noun
second-highest class prostitute (Edo period)
Historical term from the Edo-period pleasure quarters; not used in modern contexts.
See also: 天神
江戸時代、天職は高級遊女の一つだった。
In the Edo period, a tenshoku was one of the high-ranking courtesans.