天皇

• Reading: てんのう
• Romaji: tennō
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten/ama) — heaven, sky, celestial; 皇 (ō/kō) — emperor, sovereign
• Pronunciation: /teɴ.noː/

Meaning

Emperor of Japan. The constitutional monarch and head of state of Japan, occupying the highest position in the Imperial Family.

Under the postwar Constitution of Japan (1947), the 天皇 is defined as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the People (第一条). The Emperor has no political power and acts only on matters of state as stipulated by the Constitution, with the advice of the Cabinet. The current Emperor is Naruhito (徳仁), who ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, inaugurating the Reiwa (令和) era.

Examples

1. 日本国憲法において天皇は国と国民統合の象徴と定められている。 The Constitution of Japan defines the Emperor as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the People.
2. 天皇は国事行為として国会を召集し、法律を公布する。 The Emperor convenes the National Diet and promulgates laws as acts of state.
3. 令和の時代を迎え、新天皇が即位された。 With the dawning of the Reiwa era, the new Emperor ascended the throne.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, imperial institution, history, constitutional law

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 天 (heaven, sky, the celestial) and 皇 (emperor, sovereign). The term positions the Japanese emperor as a heavenly sovereign, reflecting the traditional belief in imperial divine descent.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal