南天

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

Pronunciation

Noun

南天

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

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

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).[2] 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

Proper noun

南(なん)天(てん) • (nanten) 

  1. a female given name

References
  1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
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