政変

• Reading: せいへん
• Romaji: seihen
• Kanji breakdown: 政 (sei/matsurigoto) — government, politics; 変 (hen/ka) — change, upheaval
• Pronunciation: /seː.heɴ/

Meaning

Political upheaval; coup d'état; change of government. A sudden or forcible shift in political power or the governing regime.

Encompasses everything from bloodless palace coups to violent revolutions that unseat a government. More dramatic in connotation than 政権交代 (regular electoral change of government). Often used in historical contexts such as the Meiji Restoration, as well as in modern reporting on foreign political crises.

Examples

1. 軍によるクーデターで隣国に政変が起きた。 A political upheaval occurred in the neighboring country due to a military coup.
2. 明治維新は日本史上最大の政変の一つとされる。 The Meiji Restoration is considered one of the greatest political upheavals in Japanese history.
3. 相次ぐ政変により、その国の経済は深刻な打撃を受けた。 Successive political upheavals dealt a severe blow to the country's economy.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, history, international relations, journalism

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 政 (government, politics) and 変 (change, upheaval). 変 carries the connotation of a sudden or disruptive transformation.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal