Japanese word

天皇陛下

Pronunciation

Romajitennōheika

Meaning

  • nounHis Majesty the Emperor

Example

天皇陛下は式典に出席されました。tennō hei ka wa shiki ten ni shus seki sa re ma shi ta

His Majesty the Emperor attended the ceremony.

Illustration for 天皇陛下 (His Majesty the Emperor)

More examples

天皇陛下は海外の賓客を歓迎されました。tennō hei ka wa kai gai no hin kaku o kan gei sa re ma shi ta

His Majesty the Emperor welcomed the foreign guests.

Core concept

Identifies the emperor through a formal title that expresses the speaker's highest respect.

Common phrases

  • 天皇陛下のお言葉tennō hei ka no o koto ba

    His Majesty the Emperor's words

  • 天皇陛下にお目にかかるtennō hei ka ni o me ni ka ka ru

    meet His Majesty the Emperor

Similar words

天皇tennō: The emperor of Japan, referred to without the formal honorific used in respectful speech.

Definition in Japanese

日本の天皇を敬って呼ぶ敬称。nihon no tennō o uyama tte yo bu kei shō

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound combines 天皇 (tennō, "emperor") with 陛下 (heika, "Your Majesty"), an honorific that originally referred to the steps below a sovereign.

Usage tips

  • In English, this title is often rendered as "His Majesty the Emperor," while "the Emperor" appears in less ceremonial contexts.

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