HSK · Level 61
105 words
Chinese word
皇后
Pronunciation
Pinyinhuáng hòu
Meaning
- nounempress
Example
皇后微笑着向大家点头。huáng hòu wēi xiào zhe xiàng dà jiā diǎn tóu
The empress smiled and nodded to everyone.
More examples
皇后在宫廷中对政策也有一定的影响力。huáng hòu zài gōng tíng zhōng duì zhèng cè yě yǒu yí dìng de yíng xiǎng lì
The empress also has some influence on policy in the court.
Core concept
The formally recognized first wife who stands beside an emperor as the leading woman of the imperial court.
Common phrases
为皇后加冕wèi huáng hòu jiā miǎn
crown the empress
皇后参与朝政huáng hòu cān yù cháo zhèng
the empress participates in state affairs
皇后的影响力huáng hòu de yíng xiǎng lì
the empress's influence
Similar words
王后wáng hòu: A king's wife who holds a formal royal title and position.
女王nǚ wáng: A woman who reigns over a country as its sovereign ruler.
皇太后huáng tài hòu: An imperial title held by the mother of the current emperor or by a former empress.
妃fēi: A title held by a woman with a designated rank among an emperor's consorts.
Definition in Chinese
帝王的正妻，位于宫廷女性之首，通常作为皇室的正式配偶并在礼仪与内廷事务上享有特定身份和地位。dì wáng de zhèng qī wèi yú gōng tíng nǚ xìng zhī shǒu tōng cháng zuò wéi huáng shì de zhèng shì pèi ǒu bìng zài lǐ yí yǔ nèi tíng shì wù shàng xiáng yǒu tè dìng shēn fèn hé dì wèi
Word origin
The compound 皇 (huáng, "emperor") + 后 (hòu, "chief female consort") links the emperor with the traditional title of his highest-ranking wife.
Usage tips
- In conversations about history or period dramas, empress usually refers to a spouse rather than a woman who rules an empire in her own right, so the surrounding context matters.