Tenki

Tenki is the Japanese word for weather. It is written with the kanji 天気, which combines ten (sky) and ki (air or atmosphere). The term refers to the current state of the atmosphere and to expected conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and sunshine. In everyday language, tenki is used in phrases like tenki yōhō (weather forecast).

Modern weather information in Japan is produced by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and other organizations. The JMA issues forecasts, warnings, and climatological data. People commonly consult tenki yōhō on television, websites, apps, or mobile devices to plan activities and respond to alerts for severe weather such as storms, heavy rain, or snowfall. Forecasters describe temperature ranges, precipitation probabilities, wind, and humidity.

Origins and nuance: While tenki denotes atmospheric conditions, 天候 (tenkō) is a closely related term that can carry a broader or more literary sense of weather. The use of tenki in official forecasting reflects the standardization of meteorology in Japan, especially since the adoption of Western scientific methods in the late 19th century.

See also: Weather, Meteorology, Weather forecast, Japanese language.