![[Great for word game hints!] Words that start with “te”](https://media.ragnet.co.jp/img/1200__png__https://www.ragnet.co.jp/files/2025/05/88fd0e0cd0aff0511ea70c29343d61c4.webp)
[Great for word game hints!] Words that start with “te”
I’ve put together a list of words that start with “te.”
When you get stuck during shiritori or a game where you list as many words as you can think of, you might panic and draw a blank.
At times like that, take it slow and answer calmly.
There are really a lot of words that start with “te,” but in this article I’ve focused on easy, straightforward words that anyone can answer without needing explanations.
Please make good use of this even if someone’s being tricky and you have to give only words that start with “te”!
2 characters (1–10)
iron
Iron is an indispensable part of our lives.
There are many four-character idioms that start with “iron,” such as “iron-fisted punishment,” so it might be useful to remember them.
temple (tera; Buddhist temple)
It’s a temple with many tourist attractions.
By the way, there are various theories about the origin of the word “tera” (temple); some say it comes from the Sanskrit “thera,” while others trace it to the Korean “cheol.”
3 characters (1–10)
letter
A word that often comes to mind with ‘te’ is ‘tegami’ (letter).
In shiritori, it tends to get used early, so it’s something you want to prioritize using.
Test
Many people probably dislike it: tests.
It’s a commonly used word, but it might suddenly bring back unpleasant memories.
tape
An item everyone has used, tape, also starts with the syllable “te.” In fact, in English it means “a long, ribbon-like strip.”
4 letters (1–10)
hand mirror
Many people probably use it to check their appearance.
It’s a hand mirror.
Incidentally, its history is quite old, reportedly going back as far as the Muromachi period.
notebook; planner; pocket diary
A planner is something that comes in handy for all sorts of things.
Since digitization has been advancing recently, some people might imagine the electronic kind.
table
Anyway, “table” is a word that easily lends itself to derivations.
There are countless words that start with “table,” like “tablecloth,” “table tennis,” and “table charge.”
5 characters (1–10)
set meal (teishoku)
On restaurant menus in Japan, you often see the word teishoku.
Many people might not think much about it, but it actually refers to a set meal made up of several predetermined dishes.