てっぺん

also: てへん · てっぺい

て

っ

ぺ

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

top; summit; peak; apex

usually written using kana alone

General word for the highest point of something, such as a mountain, building, or hierarchy.

山やまのてっぺんまで登のぼった。

We climbed to the top of the mountain.

会かい社しゃのてっぺんに立たつのは大たい変へんだ。

It's tough to be at the top of a company.

2

noun

twelve o'clock; midnight

usually written using kana aloneslang

Only with reading てっぺん

Slang for midnight, often in the phrase てっぺんを回る (past midnight).

てっぺん回まわるまで飲のんでた。
We were drinking until past midnight.

3

noun

top of the head; crown; scalp

usually written using kana alone

Refers specifically to the top of the head or helmet; 頂辺 is sometimes used for this sense.

頭あたまのてっぺんがかゆい。
The top of my head itches.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉のてっぺんthe top of a place (mountain, building, etc.)
山やまのてっぺんに雪ゆきが積つもっている。
Snow has piled up on the top of the mountain.
頭あたまのてっぺんthe crown/top of the head
頭あたまのてっぺんに小ちいさなハゲができた。
A small bald spot appeared on the top of his head.
てっぺんを回まわるto pass midnight
気きづいたらもうてっぺんを回まわっていた。
Before I knew it, it was already past midnight.
てっぺんに立たつto stand at the top; to be number one
彼かれはついに業ぎょう界かいのてっぺんに立たった。
He finally reached the top of the industry.
てっぺんを取とるto take first place; to claim the top spot
今年ことしこそ全ぜん国こく大たい会かいでてっぺんを取とりたい。
This year I want to take the top spot at the national tournament.

Kanji

天heavens, sky, imperial
辺environs, boundary, border
頂place on the head, receive, top of head

Related words

頂ちょう上じょうN2sense 1
頂上 is the formal word for the summit of a mountain or building, while 天辺 is a more casual, everyday term for the highest point of anything.
真ま夜よ中なかN3sense 2
真夜中 is the standard, neutral word for midnight, while 天辺 is slang used mainly by night-shift or nightlife workers for the same time.
頂ちょう点てんN2sense 1
頂点 is often used abstractly for the peak of success or a career, whereas 天辺 usually refers to the literal top of a physical object.
頂いただきN1
てっぺん is a casual, colloquial word for the very top of something, whereas 頂 sounds more formal or literary.
梢こずえN1
てっぺん is a casual, general word for the top of anything, whereas 梢 is a poetic term specific to the topmost twigs of a tree.

Opposites

麓ふもとN2sense 1
麓 means the foot or base of a mountain, the opposite of 天辺, which means its very top.

Don't confuse with

鉄てっ片ぺんN1
鉄片 and 天辺 are pronounced exactly the same (てっぺん) but 天辺 means 'the top/summit' and has nothing to do with iron.

Written forms

てっぺんUsage86%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 天辺 and 頂辺 are less common.
天辺Usage10%
- てっぺん
  Kanji form, but kana is preferred in modern usage.

Etymology

From 天辺, originally read てへん; sound change produced てっぺん. The word first denoted the crown or summit and later any highest point.

てっぺい

out-dated reading

Obsolete reading of 天辺; not used in modern Japanese.

てへん

out-dated reading

テッペンUsage3%

頂辺Usage1%

てっぺん
Rare kanji form, sometimes used for the top of the head or helmet.
てへん
out-dated reading

てへん

out-dated reading

Obsolete kana form; not used in modern Japanese.

てっぺい

out-dated reading