天変地異(てんぺんちい)

てんぺんちい
noun (four-character idiom)
natural disaster; cataclysm; upheaval of heaven and earth
1. natural disaster; cataclysm
Major natural disasters or extraordinary natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, or extreme weather events.
天変地異(てんぺんちい)が起(お)きた。
A natural disaster occurred.
天変地異(てんぺんちい)に備(そな)えて防災(ぼうさい)グッズを用意(ようい)している。
I keep emergency supplies ready in case of natural disasters.
近年(きんねん)、世界各地(せかいかくち)で天変地異(てんぺんちい)が増(ふ)えていると言(い)われている。
It is said that natural disasters have been increasing around the world in recent years.
2. extraordinary upheaval
Figuratively, any major unexpected change or upheaval that dramatically affects the situation.
天変地異(てんぺんちい)でも起(お)きない限(かぎ)り、計画(けいかく)は変(か)わらない。
Unless there's some cataclysmic event, the plan won't change.
業界(ぎょうかい)に天変地異(てんぺんちい)が起(お)きたような大(おお)きな変化(へんか)だった。
It was a change as dramatic as a cataclysm in the industry.
天変地異(てんぺんちい)でもなければ、あの人(ひと)は考(かんが)えを変(か)えないだろう。
Short of some extraordinary upheaval, that person probably won't change their mind.

FOUR-CHARACTER IDIOM (四字熟語(よじじゅくご)):
天変(てんぺん) (unusual phenomena in the sky/heaven) + 地異(ちい) (unusual phenomena on earth)

COMPONENTS:

  • 天(てん): heaven, sky
  • 変(へん): change, anomaly
  • 地(ち): earth, ground
  • 異(い): unusual, strange

CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Japan experiences frequent natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions, making this term particularly relevant in Japanese society.

COMMON USAGE:

  • 天変地異(てんぺんちい)が起(お)きる: a natural disaster occurs
  • 天変地異(てんぺんちい)に見舞(みま)われる: to be struck by a natural disaster

RELATED TERMS:

  • 自然災害(しぜんさいがい): natural disaster
  • 大災害(だいさいがい): major disaster
  • 異常気象(いじょうきしょう): abnormal weather

Related Words

Related: 異常気象(いじょうきしょう) (abnormal weather)
general
Added 2026.1.17 13:09 · Revised 2026.4.18 0:06
06000/06146_tenpenchii