民主

• Reading: みんしゅ
• Romaji: minshu
• Kanji breakdown: 民 (min) — people, citizen, nation; 主 (shu) — master, main, lord
• Pronunciation: /miɴ.ɕɯ/

Meaning

Democracy; popular sovereignty. The principle that political power belongs to the people.

A noun that primarily appears as the first element of compounds like 民主主義 (minshushugi, democracy), 民主化 (minshuka, democratisation), and 民主的 (minshuteki, democratic). Rarely used as a standalone noun in modern Japanese — almost always appears in compound form.

Examples

1. 民主主義の根幹は国民の参加にある。 The foundation of democracy is the participation of the people.
2. その国は民主化の道を歩み始めた。 That country has begun to walk the path toward democratization.
3. 民主的な手続きで代表者が選ばれた。 Representatives were chosen through a democratic process.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, history, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 民 (min, people/citizen) + 主 (shu, master/lord). Literally 'the people are master' — the concept that sovereignty rests with the populace.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal