南天

Chinese

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

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): nántiān

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄢˊ ㄊㄧㄢ

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• 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) or 南天(ナンテン) • (nanten) 

1. nandina, heavenly bamboo, sacred bamboo: Nandina domestica, a kind of flowering shrub.

   Synonym: 三葉 (san'yō)

2. a kind of 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) featuring the nandina in the design.

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary).

Derived terms

• 南天萩(なんてんはぎ) (nanten hagi)
• 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