Japanese word

帝

Pronunciation

Romajimikado

Meaning

  • nounemperor

Example

帝は国を治めました。mikado wa kuni o osa me ma shi ta

The emperor ruled the country.

Illustration for 帝 (emperor)

More examples

民衆は帝を神聖な存在として敬っていました。min shū wa mikado o shin sei na son zai to shi te uyama tte i ma shi ta

The people revered the emperor as a sacred figure.

Core concept

Describes an emperor as the supreme sovereign who governs an empire or nation.

Common phrases

  • 帝を称えるmikado o tata e ru

    praise the emperor

  • 帝に仕えるmikado ni tsuka e ru

    serve the emperor

  • 帝の命令mikado no mei rei

    the emperor's order

Similar words

皇帝kōtei: A ruler who holds the highest authority over an empire or state.
帝王teiō: A sovereign ruler who governs an empire and holds the highest imperial rank.
天子tenshi: A ruler viewed in traditional thought as the son of Heaven.

Definition in Japanese

日本の天皇を敬っていう語。また、国を治める君主をいう語。nihon no tennō o uyama tte i u go ma ta kuni o osa me ru kun shu o i u go

Word origin

帝 (mikado) is written with the Chinese-derived character 帝, "emperor." The reading comes from 御門 (mikado), "honored gate," which first referred to the imperial palace and later to its ruler.

Usage tips

  • English once used mikado as a word for the emperor of Japan, and The Mikado preserves this older usage in the title of a well-known opera.

Word lists with this word