南天

Chinese

		south	day; sky; heaven
simp. and trad. (南天)		南	天

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): nántiān

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄢ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: nántiān
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: nántian
    • Wade–Giles: nan²-tʻien¹
    • Yale: nán-tyān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: nantian
    • Palladius: наньтянь (nanʹtjanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nän³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

Noun

南天

1. the southern skies
2. the southern areas (of China); Lingnan
3. See 南天竹 (nántiānzhú).

Derived terms

• 南天竺 (nántiānzhú)

 

Japanese

南天 (nanten), the plant: the leaves, immature flowers, and branches of a nandina plant.

Kanji in this term
南	天
なん Grade: 2	てん Grade: 1
on’yomi

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) なんてん [nàńtéń] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) なんて​ん [nàńtéꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [nã̠ntẽ̞ɴ]

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 南天 (*nom *ten, literally “southern heavens”). Compare modern Chinese 南天 (nántiān).

Noun

南(なん)天(てん) • (nanten) 

1. the southern skies

Etymology 2

Apparently ultimately an abbreviation of Middle Chinese 南天竹 (*nom *ten *djiuk) or 南天竺 (*nom *ten *djiuk?), referring to a type of plant similar to bamboo, originating from an area further to the south (India or Indochina). Compare modern Chinese 南天竺 (nántiān zhú).

Noun

南(なん)天(てん) • (nanten) 

1. nandina, heavenly bamboo, sacred bamboo: Nandina domestica, a kind of flowering shrub.
2. a kind of 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) featuring the nandina in the design.

Usage notes

In biology contexts, this term is spelled in katakana as ナンテン.

Derived terms

• 南天紋(なんてんもん) (nanten mon): a kind of family crest featuring the nandina in the design.

Proper noun

南(なん)天(てん) • (nanten) 

1. a female given name