天狗(てんぐ)

てんぐ
noun
tengu, long-nosed goblin
culture
1. tengu, long-nosed goblin
A mythical creature from Japanese folklore typically depicted with a long nose or a bird-like beak, often wearing the garb of a mountain priest (yamabushi). Associated with mountains and forests, they are skilled in martial arts and magic.
天狗(てんぐ)は山(やま)に住(す)む妖怪(ようかい)だ。
Tengu are supernatural creatures that live in the mountains.
天狗(てんぐ)の面(めん)をかぶって祭(まつ)りに参加(さんか)した。
I participated in the festival wearing a tengu mask.
鞍馬山(くらまやま)は天狗(てんぐ)の伝説(でんせつ)で有名(ゆうめい)だ。
Mt. Kurama is famous for its tengu legends.
2. conceited person, braggart
A person who is arrogant, boastful, or full of themselves. Derived from the tengu's association with pride.
あまり天狗(てんぐ)になるなよ。
Don't get too full of yourself.
テストでいい点(てん)を取(と)ったからって天狗(てんぐ)になってはいけない。
Just because you got a good score on the test doesn't mean you should get conceited.
少(すこ)し褒(ほ)められただけで天狗(てんぐ)になる人(ひと)がいる。
Some people get a big head just from being praised a little.

Cultural note

  • Appearance: a red face and a very long nose (大天狗(だいてんぐ)), or a crow's beak and wings (烏天狗(からすてんぐ)); the dress of a mountain ascetic (山伏(やまぶし)), one-toothed 下駄(げた), and a feather fan (羽団扇(はうちわ)) that raises wind.
  • Folklore: tengu live in deep mountains, are masters of swordsmanship, and are said to have taught 牛若丸(うしわかまる) (the young warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune) on 鞍馬山(くらまやま) in Kyoto. 高尾山(たかおさん) near Tokyo is another well-known tengu mountain.

Common expressions

Related Words

Related: 河童(かっぱ) (mythical creature)
general
Added 2026.1.18 8:07 · Revised 2026.10.5 3:21
06500/06522_tengu