Japanese word

戦国

Pronunciation

Romajisengoku

Meaning

  • nounWarring States era

Example

戦国を生きた武将たちは、城を築きました。sen goku o i ki ta bu shō ta chi wa shiro o kizu ki ma shi ta

Warlords who lived through the Warring States period built castles.

Illustration for 戦国 (Warring States era)

More examples

戦国時代には、領主同士の争いが各地で続きました。sen goku ji dai ni wa ryō shu dō shi no araso i ga kaku chi de tsuzu ki ma shi ta

During the Warring States period, conflicts between lords continued across the country.

Core concept

Refers to an era in which competing rulers struggle for control of a politically divided land through repeated wars.

Common phrases

  • 戦国時代sen goku ji dai

    Warring States period

  • 戦国大名sen goku dai myō

    daimyo of the Warring States period

  • 戦国武将sen goku bu shō

    warlord of the Warring States period

Definition in Japanese

諸国の武将や勢力が互いに覇権を争った、戦乱の多い時代。sho koku no bu shō ya sei ryoku ga taga i ni ha ken o araso tta sen ran no ō i ji dai

Word origin

The compound 戦国 (sengoku) is formed from 戦 (sen, "war") and 国 (koku, "country"); together they describe a country caught in prolonged conflict.

Usage tips

  • English-language histories use Sengoku period to distinguish Japan's civil-war era from China's earlier Warring States period.

Other meanings

  • civil warnoun

Word lists with this word