Elaborations on 後天

後天 (kōten: not inborn)     after + innate

Two suffixes change 後天 as follows:

後天的 (kōtenteki: acquired, cultivated)

The last kanji makes 後天 into an adjective.

後天性 (kōtensei: acquired trait)

The last kanji means “innate quality.”

If we chip the first character off this third compound, we find another word of intrigue and mystery lying inside: 天性. To learn what this word is all about, just follow the link.

For a Closer Look at 天性 …

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