帝国

• Pinyin: dì guó
• Hanzi breakdown: 帝 = 亠 + 巾 (emperor, supreme ruler); 国 = 囗 + 玉 (state, country)

Meaning

Empire; a large political unit ruled by an emperor or a dominant power that controls multiple territories or peoples.

Used in historical, political, and figurative contexts. Refers to ancient empires such as 罗马帝国 (Roman Empire) or 大清帝国 (Qing Empire), as well as modern metaphorical uses like 商业帝国 (business empire). Often carries connotations of power, expansion, and dominance.

Examples

1. 罗马帝国在鼎盛时期横跨欧亚非三大洲，对西方文明产生了深远影响。 At its height, the Roman Empire spanned Europe, Asia, and Africa and had a profound impact on Western civilization.
2. 清朝是中国历史上最后一个封建帝国，于1912年宣告终结。 The Qing dynasty was the last feudal empire in Chinese history and came to an end in 1912.
3. 这位科技巨头凭借一系列并购，逐步构建起庞大的商业帝国。 Through a series of acquisitions, this tech giant gradually built a vast business empire.

Usage Guide

Context: history, politics, business

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 蒙古帝国以其惊人的扩张速度在短短数十年间建立了史上最大的连续疆域。(The Mongol Empire established the largest contiguous territory in history within just a few decades due to its astonishing speed of expansion.)
• 随着企业规模的不断扩大，这家集团已发展成为横跨多个行业的商业帝国。(As the company continued to grow in scale, this conglomerate has developed into a business empire spanning multiple industries.)

Don't Say

• 帝国国家 — 帝国 already denotes a state; say 帝国 alone or 帝国政体 if specifying the governing system

Origin & History

帝 (emperor) + 国 (state/country) — a state governed by an emperor

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient to present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal