Later, Tenjobito began to mean those who were permitted to wait on the emperor as trusted vessel; whichever the meaning, the privilege was untransferable and only effective until the emperor, the retired emperor or the crown prince changed.
後代には近臣としての伺候を許されたものを指すようになるが、いずれも天皇や院、東宮の一代限りであり、代替わりにあたっては殿上人の身分を失った。