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有頂天 (uchouten) Japanese meaning: ecstasy | Kotomora

有う頂ちょう天てん

う

ちょ

う

て

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

ecstasy; rapture; seventh heaven

Describes a state of being overjoyed or carried away with happiness, often to the point of losing composure. Commonly used as 有頂天になる.

彼かれは試し験けんに合ごう格かく

し

て

有う

頂ちょう

天てん

に

なっ

て

いる

。

He is ecstatic after passing the exam.

有う頂ちょう天てんで周まわりが見みえなくなっていた。

I was so overjoyed that I lost sight of my surroundings.

2

highest heaven (Buddhism)

Original Buddhist meaning: the highest realm of existence in the formless world. Rare outside religious contexts.

仏ぶっ教きょうでは、有う頂ちょう天てんは三さん界がいの最さい上じょう位いとされる。
In Buddhism, the highest heaven is considered the top of the three realms.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉で有う頂ちょう天てんになるto become ecstatic/overjoyed because of something
試し合あいの勝しょう利りで有う頂ちょう天てんになった。
He became overjoyed at the team's victory in the match.
〈人ひと〉は有う頂ちょう天てんだったsomeone was in seventh heaven/ecstatic
合ごう格かくの知しらせを聞きいて、彼かの女じょは有う頂ちょう天てんだった。
Upon hearing she had passed, she was in seventh heaven.

Kanji

有possess, have, exist
頂place on the head, receive, top of head
天heavens, sky, imperial

Related words

狂きょう喜き sense 1
狂喜 is a stronger, more literary word for wild, uncontrollable joy, while 有頂天 focuses on the feeling of being carried away with happiness and losing one's composure.
夢む中ちゅうN3sense 1
夢中 describes being absorbed or engrossed in something without the strong sense of elation that 有頂天 carries.
大おお喜よろこびN1sense 1
大喜び is a plain, everyday word for great joy, whereas 有頂天 adds the nuance of being so happy one loses composure or self-control.
満まん悦えつ
有頂天 suggests being carried away with excitement or elation, while 満悦 conveys a calmer, more composed sense of satisfaction.

Opposites

意い気き消しょう沈ちん sense 1
意気消沈 describes being deflated or dejected, the emotional opposite of 有頂天's state of soaring elation.

Word family

有う頂ちょう天てん外がい
beside oneself with joy; in raptures; ecstatic

Written forms

有う頂ちょう天てんUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
うちょうてんUsage3%

Etymology

Originally a Buddhist term referring to the highest heaven (有頂天). The modern sense of 'ecstasy' derives from the idea of being so elated that one feels as if in the highest heaven.