帝国

• Reading: ていこく
• Romaji: teikoku
• Kanji breakdown: 帝 (tei) — emperor, sovereign; 国 (koku) — country, nation
• Pronunciation: /teː.ko.kɯ/

Meaning

Empire; a large sovereign state ruled by an emperor. Used both historically and metaphorically.

A noun referring to a state governed by an emperor (皇帝). Appears in historical contexts such as ローマ帝国 (Roman Empire) and 大日本帝国 (Empire of Japan). Also used metaphorically in modern Japanese for business conglomerates or dominant entities, similar to English 'empire.' The word carries a formal, historical weight.

Examples

1. ローマ帝国は数百年にわたって繁栄した。 The Roman Empire flourished for hundreds of years.
2. 彼はビジネスの帝国を一代で築き上げた。 He built a business empire entirely on his own in a single generation.
3. 歴史の授業で帝国主義について学んでいる。 We're studying imperialism in history class.

Usage Guide

Context: history, politics, literature, business

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 帝 (tei, emperor) + 国 (koku, country/nation). A direct compound meaning 'emperor's nation.' The term became prominent during the Meiji era when Japan adopted Western imperial terminology.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated