天才|てんさいtensai[0]heiban (flat)

1. noungenius; prodigy; natural gift
   私わたしたちは彼かれを天才てんさいだと思おもった。↗

   We thought of him as a genius.

• Synonym英才えいさいWrittenWritten/formal word for outstanding talent or a gifted person, as in 「英才教育」.
• Synonym秀才しゅうさいNeutralA person who excels in study and learning; the focus is on scholarship, while 「天才」 points to innate, extraordinary talent.
• Synonym鬼才きさいNeutralA person of extraordinary talent with an eccentric style, used mostly in the arts.
• Synonym俊英しゅんえいWrittenWritten/formal word for a person of outstanding intellect, seldom used today.
• Synonym逸材いつざいNeutralAn exceptional person of outstanding ability, as in 「逸材を発掘」; fits any field.
• Synonym英俊えいしゅんWrittenWritten/formal word for a person of outstanding intellect; in Japanese it never refers to looks.
• Synonym俊才しゅんさいWrittenWritten/formal word for a person of outstanding talent; 「天才」 stresses that the ability is inborn.
• Synonym俊秀しゅんしゅうWrittenWritten/formal word for an eminent person of outstanding intellect.
• Synonym異才いさいWrittenWritten/formal word for an unconventional genius, as in 「映画界の異才」; stresses uniqueness.
• SynonymジーニアスNeutralLoanword for genius; uncommon in daily speech and mostly seen in names and titles.
• Synonym俊逸しゅんいつWrittenWritten/formal word for surpassing excellence, seldom used today.
• Synonym俊士しゅんしWrittenWritten/formal word for a talented, highly intelligent man, very rare today.
• Synonym奇才きさいWrittenWritten/formal word for a rare, exceptional genius; the emphasis is on rarity.
• Synonym俊傑しゅんけつWrittenWritten/formal word for a heroic, outstanding figure.
• Synonym天質てんしつWrittenWritten/formal word for inborn talent, used relatively rarely.
• Synonym天賦てんぷWrittenWhat one is granted from birth, as in 「天賦の才」; stresses the innate, inborn aspect.
• Synonym天与の資てんよのしWrittenA literary phrase for endowments granted by heaven.
• Synonym天賦の才てんぷのさいWrittenA phrase for innate talent; stresses the gift itself rather than its possessor.
• Related才気さいきNeutralBrilliance and quick wit as a quality, as in 「才気あふれる」; it denotes the ability, not the person.
• Related賢才けんさいWrittenWritten/formal word for a wise and able person, seldom used today.
• Related俊豪しゅんごうWrittenWritten/formal word for a person of rare talent and virtue, very rare today.
• Related才子さいしWrittenA talented man, as in 「才子佳人」; carries an archaic flavor.
• Related天資てんしWrittenWritten/formal word for innate endowment; stresses natural disposition and does not refer to a person.
• Related才知さいちWrittenWritten/formal word for wit and intelligence; stresses brains and does not refer to a person.
• Antonym凡人ぼんじんNeutralAn ordinary, average person; the direct opposite of 「天才」.
• Antonym愚人ぐじんWrittenWritten/formal word for a foolish person; the opposite of 「天才」.

Use 「天才」 for a person with extraordinary inborn ability, as in 「天才的」 or 「天才少年」. For excellence in study and learning pick 「秀才」, for an eccentric talent, especially in the arts, 「鬼才」, for an outstanding person in any field 「逸材」, and for the innate gift itself 「天賦の才」. The many 俊- compounds and other Sino-Japanese terms are written/formal and mostly rare today; 「凡人」 is the everyday opposite for an ordinary person.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 生うまれながらにして持もっている、人並ひとなみ外はずれた能力のうりょく。また、その持ち主もちぬし。