Japanese word

皇帝

Pronunciation

Romajikōtei

Meaning

  • nounemperor

Example

歴史の本で皇帝について読みました。reki shi no hon de kō tei ni tsu i te yo mi ma shi ta

I read about an emperor in a history book.

Illustration for 皇帝 (emperor)

More examples

博物館で古代ローマの皇帝の像を見ました。haku butsu kan de ko dai rō ma no kō tei no zō o mi ma shi ta

I saw a statue of an ancient Roman emperor at the museum.

Core concept

Refers to the highest-ranking ruler of an imperial state, whose power covers multiple regions or peoples.

Common phrases

  • 皇帝を退位させるkō tei o tai i sa se ru

    depose an emperor

  • 皇帝の宮殿kō tei no kyū den

    the emperor's palace

  • 皇帝に仕えるkō tei ni tsuka e ru

    serve an emperor

Similar words

帝王teiō: A monarch who rules an empire or a large realm.
帝mikado: A formal term for a ruler of an empire, especially in historical contexts.

Definition in Japanese

複数の地域や民族を支配する帝国の君主。fuku sū no chi iki ya min zoku o shi hai su ru tei koku no kun shu

Word origin

皇帝 (kōtei) combines 皇 (kō, "imperial") with 帝 (tei, "sovereign"), using two Chinese-derived elements to express an imperial ruler.

Usage tips

  • The title Emperor is familiar to English speakers from Star Wars, where Emperor Palpatine represents the ruler of a vast fictional empire.

Related words

  • 皇帝制kōteiseiimperial systemnoun

Word lists with this word