Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Weather" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "weather", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
てんき
てんき (tenki)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
お天気
おてんき (otenki)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "weather" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between てんき and お天気.
In Japanese, てんき (てんき (tenki)) is typically associated with "weather" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Refers to the general weather conditions. Often used with adjectives like 良い.
On the other hand, お天気 (おてんき (otenki)) maps to "weather" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Polite way to say 天気. A literal translation of "weather" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "てんき"
今日の天気はどうですか。
How is the weather today?
Bilingual Context for "お天気"
今日のお天気はとてもいいですね。
Today's weather is very nice, isn't it?
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "今日の天気はどうですか。" (Meaning: "How is the weather today?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "てんき" fits here because it means "weather" in the context of: "How is the weather today?". "お天気" represents "weather".