天才（てんさい、tensai）
- genius

The Japanese word 天才 means "genius," "prodigy," or "someone exceptionally talented." It refers to a person who possesses extraordinary intellectual or creative abilities, often from a young age. This individual excels in a particular field, such as art, music, science, or mathematics. This exceptional talent is often considered innate, meaning it is a natural ability rather than solely the result of hard work, although hard work often complements the innate talent. The word implies a level of ability far exceeding the average person. 天才 can also be used to describe something that is brilliantly executed or of exceptional quality.

⚫︎彼は音楽の天才だ。 Translation: He is a musical genius. ⚫︎彼女は絵画の天才として知られている。 Translation: She is known as a painting prodigy. ⚫︎この料理は天才的な味だ。 Translation: This dish has a genius-level flavor.

⚫︎天才 is typically used to describe someone's inherent ability or exceptional talent. ⚫︎It is often used to praise someone's outstanding skills or achievements. ⚫︎It can be used in various contexts, from casual conversations to formal settings. However, it is generally considered a strong word, so be mindful of the context and the person you are referring to. It is usually used for a person and is rarely used to describe things.

⚫︎The word 天才 is written with the kanji 天才. ⚫︎The reading (pronunciation) is てんさい (tensai) in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no other common ways to write this word or variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎秀才 (しゅうさい - shūsai): A highly intelligent person, often with excellent academic abilities. ⚫︎鬼才 (きさい - kisai): A person of unusual talent or genius, often with a slightly eccentric or unconventional nature. ⚫︎異才 (いさい - isai): An unusual talent or a person with exceptional ability.

⚫︎There isn't a single direct antonym. However, words that describe a lack of talent or average ability could be considered opposites in a sense. For example: ⚫︎凡人 (ぼんじん - bonjin): An ordinary person. ⚫︎普通の人 (ふつうのひと - futsū no hito): An average person.

彼は幼い頃から数学の天才と呼ばれていた。 ・Translation: He was called a mathematical genius from a young age. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone who displayed exceptional mathematical abilities from childhood, thus justifying the label of 天才.

そのピアニストは天才的な演奏で観客を魅了した。 ・Translation: The pianist captivated the audience with his genius performance. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 天才 to describe the exceptionally high quality of the pianist's performance, emphasizing his extraordinary skill.

The word 天才 is a compound of two kanji: ⚫︎天 (ten): meaning "heaven," "sky," or "nature." ⚫︎才 (sai): meaning "talent," "ability," or "genius." Thus, the word literally means "heavenly talent" or "natural genius," indicating a talent bestowed by nature or heaven.