Japanese word

皇太后

Pronunciation

Romajikōtaigō

Meaning

  • nounempress dowager

Example

皇太后は式典に出席しました。kō tai gō wa shiki ten ni shus seki shi ma shi ta

The empress dowager attended the ceremony.

Illustration for 皇太后 (empress dowager)

More examples

皇太后のお言葉は、会場の人々を安心させました。kō tai gō no o koto ba wa kai jō no hito bito o an shin sa se ma shi ta

The empress dowager's words reassured the people at the venue.

Core concept

Centers on an emperor's widow who remains a senior maternal figure within the imperial family.

Common phrases

  • 皇太后のお言葉kō tai gō no o koto ba

    the empress dowager's words

  • 皇太后を迎えるkō tai gō o muka e ru

    welcome the empress dowager

  • 皇太后の御前kō tai gō no go zen

    in the presence of the empress dowager

Similar words

太后taigō: A formal title for a reigning emperor's widowed mother.

Definition in Japanese

天皇の后が、夫である天皇の崩御後に称する称号。tennō no kisai ga otto de a ru tennō no hō gyo go ni shō su ru shō gō

Word origin

皇太后 (kōtaigō) is formed from the Sino-Japanese readings of 皇 (kō, "imperial"), 太 (tai, "great"), and 后 (gō, "empress or queen").

Usage tips

  • The word dowager in empress dowager traditionally describes a widow who retains her formal rank, so it is not simply a polite synonym for former empress.

Other meanings

  • queen mothernoun

Word lists with this word