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JLPT N28画 · 8 strokesradical 王grade 6freq #456

emperor, royalty

On'yomi (音読み)

  • コウ
  • オウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

Mnemonic

The emperor, represented by the bold 王, rules from the heavenly heights こう, symbolizing his royal authority and grandeur.

About this kanji

The kanji 皇 primarily means "emperor" or "royalty." It is mainly used as a noun, and you can see it in several important compounds. For example, 皇帝 (こうてい) means "emperor," which refers to the ruler of an empire. Another compound is 皇族 (こうぞく), meaning "imperial family," which describes the family of the emperor. Additionally, when you see 天皇 (てんのう), it's referring specifically to the Emperor of Japan. One notable aspect of this kanji is that it does not have a native Japanese reading, only Sino-Japanese readings. This focus on official titles highlights its association with formal authority.

Built from

こう

Example sentences

  • 皇室の行事を見学する。

    I will observe the imperial event.

Meanings across languages

English
emperor, royalty
Tiếng Việt
hoàng đế, hoàng gia
日本語
皇帝, 皇族
한국어
황제, 왕족
中文
皇帝, 皇族
id
kaisar, kerajaan
th
จักรพรรดิ, ราชวงศ์
es
emperador, realeza
fr
empereur, royauté
de
Kaiser, Königtum
pt
imperador, realeza

Common compounds

  • 皇帝こうていemperor
  • 皇族こうぞくimperial family
  • 天皇てんのうtennō (Emperor of Japan)
  • 女皇じょこうempress

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