国王

• Pinyin: guó wáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 国 = 囗 (enclosure) + 玉 (jade); 王 = three horizontal lines connected by a vertical, representing heaven, earth, and man

Meaning

King; monarch. A male sovereign ruler of a kingdom.

Used for kings in history, fairy tales, and modern constitutional monarchies (like the UK, Spain). Common collocations: 国王陛下 (Your/His Majesty the King), 女王 (queen regnant). In historical contexts, Chinese emperors are called 皇帝, not 国王, as China was an empire, not a kingdom.

Examples

1. 这位国王在位四十多年，深受国民爱戴。 This king has been on the throne for over forty years and is deeply beloved by his people.
2. 小时候听的童话故事里，国王总是住在金碧辉煌的城堡里。 In the fairy tales I heard as a child, the king always lived in a magnificent golden castle.
3. 英国国王查尔斯三世继承王位后首次出访法国。 King Charles III of the United Kingdom made his first visit to France after ascending to the throne.

Usage Guide

Context: history, monarchy, fairy tales

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 从前有一位国王。(Once upon a time there was a king.)
• 国王接见了外国使节。(The king received the foreign envoys.)

Don't Say

• 把中国古代皇帝称为国王 (Don't call ancient Chinese emperors 国王 — they were 皇帝, as China was an empire)

Origin & History

Compound of 国 (country, nation) + 王 (king). 王 was originally a pictograph representing an axe, symbolizing power and authority.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal