大統領

• Reading: だいとうりょう
• Romaji: daitouryou
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai) — great, large; 統 (tou) — to govern, to unify; 領 (ryou) — territory, to lead
• Pronunciation: /daɪ.toː.ɾʲoː/

Meaning

President of a country. The head of state in a presidential system.

A noun used for the president of a republic such as the United States, France, or South Korea. Japan does not have a president, so this word is always used in reference to foreign leaders. It appears frequently in international news coverage.

Examples

1. アメリカの大統領がテレビで演説した。 The President of the United States gave a speech on TV.
2. 大統領選挙のニュースが毎日流れている。 News about the presidential election is on every day.
3. 両国の大統領が会議で握手をした。 The presidents of both countries shook hands at the meeting.

Usage Guide

Context: international politics, news, diplomacy

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 大 (great, large), 統 (to govern, to unify), and 領 (territory, to lead). Together they mean the great leader who governs.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal