天職（てんしょく、tenshoku）
- vocation

The Japanese word 天職 （てんしょく, tenshoku） translates to "calling," "vocation," or "one's true profession." It refers to a job or career that is perfectly suited to a person's talents, interests, and passions. It implies a sense of fulfillment, purpose, and enjoyment derived from one's work. The core idea is that 天職 is more than just a job; it’s a role someone is naturally inclined towards and where they can excel. It often suggests a deep sense of satisfaction and contribution.

⚫︎彼にとって、教師は天職］です。 Translation: Teaching is his calling. ⚫︎彼女は自分の天職］を見つけたと感じています。 Translation: She feels she has found her true calling. ⚫︎天職］を見つけるのは簡単ではありませんが、とても大切なことです。 Translation: Finding one's calling is not easy, but it is very important.

You can use 天職 in conversations when discussing someone's career path, job satisfaction, or their sense of purpose in their work. It's suitable for talking about yourself, others, or even fictional characters. It often implies a positive sentiment, suggesting that someone is happy and fulfilled in their profession.

天職 is typically written with the kanji characters: 天 (ten - heaven, sky) and 職 (shoku - job, occupation). The reading is てんしょく in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

⚫︎生きがい (ikigai) - a reason for being, a sense of purpose in life. While not a direct synonym, it's related to the fulfillment 天職 offers. ⚫︎仕事 (shigoto) - job, work; this is a general term and not always a synonym, but can be if the work is fulfilling. ⚫︎使命 (shimei) - mission, calling; implies a strong sense of purpose.

There aren't direct antonyms, but words that suggest dissatisfaction with work could be used, such as: ⚫︎不満 (fuman) - dissatisfaction ⚫︎苦痛 (kutsuu) - pain, suffering (related to the work) ⚫︎Words describing a job someone dislikes, such as 嫌な仕事 (iya na shigoto - a job you hate).

医者になることが彼女の天職］だと信じています。 ・Translation: I believe becoming a doctor is her calling. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the speaker's belief that a certain profession perfectly aligns with the person's character and abilities, therefore it's a perfect match to his or her talents.

彼は自分の天職］を見つけるために、色々な職業を試しました。 ・Translation: He tried various professions to find his true calling. ・Explanation: This implies a journey of self-discovery and a search for a fulfilling career path. The individual is actively seeking a job that aligns with his passions.

The word 天職 is a compound word formed from two kanji. 天 (ten) originally refers to "heaven" or "sky," implying something divinely ordained or perfect. 職 (shoku) means "occupation" or "vocation." Thus, 天職 literally means "heavenly occupation," suggesting a job ideally suited to a person, almost as if it were destined for them.