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天皇 (Tiān huáng) — Emperor of Japan (the Tennō)

Definition

Specific title for the Emperor of Japan (the Tennō) — a constitutional monarch and symbol of the state, distinct from generic 皇帝 (emperor of any empire).

noun
Emperor of Japan (the Tennō)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 天皇。
    Rì běn Tiān huáng shì guó jiā de xiàng zhēng.
    The Japanese Emperor is a symbol of the nation.
  • 天皇。
    Xiàn rèn Tiān huáng shì yí wèi shòu rén zūn jìng de lǎo rén.
    The current Emperor is a respected elderly man.
  • 天皇。
    Lì shǐ kè shàng wǒ men xué xí le Tiān huáng zhì dù de yǎn biàn.
    In history class we studied the evolution of the imperial system.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

天tiānheaven
皇huángemperor

Combines 天 and 皇 to mean a ruler associated with heaven.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𤼽𤼽𤼽
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng皇huáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The part 𤼽 originally drew a single peacock feather; 王 was later added to give the sound.

Open 皇 →
Appears in
Identity & Titles

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