天皇

Chinese

		day; sky; heaven	emperor; surname
simp. and trad. (天皇)		天	皇
anagram		皇天

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “what is etymology of Chinese sense?”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): tiānhuáng

  (Zhuyin): ㄊㄧㄢ ㄏㄨㄤˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): tin¹ wong⁴
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): thian-hông

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: tiānhuáng
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄧㄢ ㄏㄨㄤˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: tianhuáng
    • Wade–Giles: tʻien¹-huang²
    • Yale: tyān-hwáng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tianhwang
    • Palladius: тяньхуан (tjanʹxuan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ xu̯ɑŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: tin¹ wong⁴
    • Yale: tīn wòhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tin¹ wong⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: tin¹ wong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰiːn⁵⁵ wɔːŋ²¹/
    • Homophones:

      edit edit 天王 天皇

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: thian-hông
    • Tâi-lô: thian-hông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: tienhoong
    • IPA (Xiamen): /tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /tʰiɛn³³ hɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻²² hɔŋ¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /tʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ hɔŋ²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: then hwang

Rime
Character	天	皇
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	透 (6)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	先 (85)	唐 (102)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Closed
Division (等)	IV	I
Fanqie	他前切	胡光切
Baxter	then	hwang
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/tʰen/	/ɦwɑŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/tʰen/	/ɦʷɑŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/tʰɛn/	/ɣuɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/tʰɛn/	/ɦwaŋ/
Li Rong	/tʰen/	/ɣuɑŋ/
Wang Li	/tʰien/	/ɣuɑŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/tʰien/	/ɣwɑŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	tiān	huáng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	tin1	wong4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*l̥ˤi[n]  [ɢ]ʷˤaŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qʰl'iːn  ɡʷaːŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	天	皇
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	tiān	huáng
Middle Chinese	‹ then ›	‹ hwang ›
Old Chinese	/*l̥ˁi[n]/	/*[ɢ]ʷˁaŋ/
English	heaven	sovereign
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	天	皇
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	12387	12696
Phonetic component	天	王
Rime group	眞	陽
Rime subdivision	1	0
Corresponding MC rime	天	黃
Old Chinese	/*qʰl'iːn/	/*ɡʷaːŋ/
Notes		禮王制鄭注冕屬， 金文象羽冠，王聲；或雲象日射輝則爲暀晃初文

Noun

天皇

1. king of heaven; heavenly sovereign; (figurative) emperor
2. emperor or empress (regnant) of Japan

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (天皇):

• → Japanese: 天皇(てんのう) (tennō); 天皇(てんこう) (tenkō)
• → Korean: 천황(天皇) (cheonhwang)
• → Vietnamese: thiên hoàng (天皇)

Further reading

• Ding, Fubao (丁福保) (1922), “天皇” in 佛學大辭典 [A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms].

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
天	皇
てん Grade: 1	おう > のう Grade: 6
goon

/ten wau/ → /tenwɔː/ → /tenːɔː/ → /tenːoː/

From Middle Chinese 天皇 (MC then hwang) with the original sense of “heavenly sovereign”.

The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu sound”) pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing from Middle Chinese. The ō reading for 皇 changes to nō as an instance of renjō (連声).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) てんの​ー [tèńnóꜜò] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [tẽ̞nːo̞ː]

Noun

天(てん)皇(のう) • (tennō) ^{←てんわう (ten'wau)?}

1. an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

   Synonyms: 内の上 (uchi no ue), 皇天 (kōten), 内裏 (dairi), 天子 (tenshi), 帝 (mikado)

   天(てん)皇(のう)陛(へい)下(か) ― tennō Heika ― Your/His Majesty the Emperor/Her Majesty the Empress (Regnant)

   明(めい)治(じ)天(てん)皇(のう) ― Meiji tennō ― Emperor Meiji

   • 1889, Imperial Diet of Japan, “1, article 1”, in Meiji Constitution:

     大日本帝國(だいにっぽんていこく)ハ萬世一系(ばんせいいっけい)ノ天皇(てんのう)之(の)ヲ統治(とうち)ス

     Dainipponteikoku wa banseīkkei no tennō no o tōchi su

     The Empire of Japan shall be reigned over and governed by a line of Emperors unbroken for ages eternal.

2. (usually in Chinese contexts) an emperor, ruler, or other monarch with a heavenly mandate

   Synonym: 天子 (tenshi)

3. (by extension) a person having a strength or profession in a particular field of study or expertise

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 天(てん)皇(のう)旗(き) (Tennōki)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)記(き) (Tennōki)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)賞(しょう) (Tennōshō)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)機(き)関(かん)説(せつ) (Tennō kikansetsu)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)制(せい) (Tennōsei)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)誕(たん)生(じょう)日(び) (Tennō Tanjōbi)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)杯(はい) (Tennōhai)
• 天(てん)皇(のう)陛(へい)下(か) (Tennō Heika)
• 今(きん)上(じょう)天(てん)皇(のう) (Kinjō Tennō)
• 大(たい)行(こう)天(てん)皇(のう) (taikō tennō)
• 太(だい)上(じょう)天(てん)皇(のう) (daijō tennō), 太(だ)上(じょう)天(てん)皇(のう) (dajō tennō)
• 追(つい)尊(そん)天(てん)皇(のう) (tsuison tennō)

Related terms

• 皇(こう)帝(てい) (kōtei, “emperor”, other than the Emperor of Japan)
• 大(おお)君(きみ) (ōkimi)

Descendants

• → English: tenno, Tenno, Tennou
• → English: God Emperor (calque)
• → German: Tenno, Tennou
• → Italian: tenno

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
天	皇
てん Grade: 1	こう Grade: 6
kan’on

/ten kʷau/ → /tenkʷɔː/ → /tenkɔː/ → /tenkoː/

From Middle Chinese 天皇 (MC then hwang).

The 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) てんこ​ー [tèńkóꜜò] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [tẽ̞ŋko̞ː]

Noun

天(てん)皇(こう) • (tenkō) ^{←てんくわう (tenkwau)?}

1. (usually in Chinese contexts) an emperor, ruler, or other monarch with a heavenly mandate

   Synonym: 天子 (tenshi)

Proper noun

天(てん)皇(こう) • (Tenkō) ^{←てんくわう (tenkwau)?}

1. (Chinese mythology) the first of the Three Sovereigns, possibly 伏羲 (Fukki, “Fu Xi”)

Related terms

• 地(ち)皇(こう) (Chikō, the second)
• 人(じん)皇(こう) (Jinkō, the third)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
天	皇
すべらぎ
Grade: 1	Grade: 6
jukujikun

Alternative spelling
皇

/sumeraɡi/ → /suberaɡi/

Shift from sumeragi below, with the nasal /m/ becoming a plosive /b/.

The kanji spelling is from tennō above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨᵝbe̞ɾa̠ɡʲi]

Noun

天皇(すべらぎ) • (suberagi) 

1. (archaic) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:天皇.

Derived terms

• 皇(すべらぎ)の花(はな) (suberagi no hana)
• 今(いま)皇(すべらぎ) (ima suberagi)
• 法(のり)の皇(すべらぎ) (nori no suberagi)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
天	皇
すめらぎ
Grade: 1	Grade: 6
jukujikun

Alternative spelling
皇

⟨sume₁ro₂ki₁⟩ → */sumʲerəkʲi/ → */sumeraki/ → /sumeraɡi/

Possibly a shift from Old Japanese 天皇 (sume₁ro₂ki₁).

The kanji spelling is from tennō above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨᵝme̞ɾa̠ɡʲi]

Noun

天皇(すめらぎ) • (sumeragi) 

1. (honorific, archaic) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:天皇.

Derived terms

• 皇(すめらぎ) (Sumeragi)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
天	皇
すめらぎみ
Grade: 1	Grade: 6
jukujikun

From 皇 (sumera-, prefix of praise and respect) +‎ 君 (kimi, “lord, master → sovereign”). The kimi changes to gimi as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

The kanji spelling is from tennō above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨᵝme̞ɾa̠ɡʲimʲi]

Noun

天皇(すめらぎみ) • (sumeragimi) 

1. (honorific, archaic) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:天皇.

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
天	皇
すめらみこと
Grade: 1	Grade: 6
jukujikun

Alternative spelling
皇尊

From Old Japanese.

From 皇 (sumera-, prefix of praise and respect) +‎ 尊 (mikoto, “Highness”).

The kanji spelling is from tennō above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨᵝme̞ɾa̠mʲiko̞to̞]

Noun

天皇(すめらみこと) • (sumeramikoto) 

1. (honorific, archaic) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

   始(はつ)馭天下之(くにしらす)天皇(すめらみこと)

   Hatsu Kunishirasu Sumeramikoto

   the First Founding Emperor

Derived terms

• 大(おお)倭(やまと)根(ね)子(この)天皇(すめらみこと) (Ōyamatoneko no Sumeramikoto)

See also

See also

• 園(えん)遊(ゆう)会(かい) (en'yū-kai, “garden party”, (hosted by the emperor))
• 皇(こう)后(ごう) (kōgō, “Empress of Japan”)
• 皇(こう)室(しつ) (kōshitsu, “imperial court, imperial household”)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)子(し) (kōtaishi, “Prince”)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)子(し)妃(ひ) (kōtaishihi, “Princess”)
• 親(しん)王(のう) (shinnō, “Imperial Prince of Japan”)
• 殿(でん)下(か) (Denka, “Your/His/Her Highness”)
• 内(ない)親(しん)王(のう) (naishinnō, “Princess of Japan”)
• 妃(ひ)殿(でん)下(か) (hidenka, “Princess”)
• 宮(みや)家(け) (miyake, “the Prince’s family”)

Anagrams

• 皇(こう)天(てん) (kōten)

Korean

Hanja in this term
天	皇

Noun

天皇 • (cheonhwang) (hangeul 천황)

1. Hanja form^? of 천황 (“Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”).

Old Japanese

Etymology 1

Possibly from 皇 (sume₁ro₂-, apophonic form of sume₁ra-, prefix of praise and respect) +‎ 君 (ki₁mi₁, “lord, master → sovereign”), with the final mi₁ dropping due to poetic reasons.

The kanji spelling is an orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 天皇 (MC then hwang).

Noun

天皇 (sume₁ro₂ki₁) (kana すめろき)

1. (honorific) a sovereign who governs a region
2. (by extension, honorific) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan
3. (by extension) the imperial lineage or family line
4. the Emperor's reign

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:天皇.

Descendants

• Japanese: 天皇 (sumeragi, suberagi)

Etymology 2

From 皇 (sume₁ra-, prefix of praise and respect) +‎ 尊 (mi₁ko₂to₂, “Highness”).

The kanji spelling is an orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 天皇 (MC then hwang).

Alternative forms

• 皇尊

Noun

天皇 (sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂) (kana すめらみこと)

1. (honorific) a term of address for an Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:天皇.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 太上天皇 (opoki₁-sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂)
• 大倭根子天皇 (Opoyamato₂neko₁ no₂ Sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂)
• 神日本磐余彦天皇 (Kamuyamato₂ Iparepi₁ko₁ no Sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂, “a name of Emperor Jimmu”)
• 始馭天下之天皇 (Patukunisirasu Sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂, “another name of Emperor Jimmu”)
• 御肇國天皇 (Patukunisirasu Sume₁rami₁ko₂to₂, “a name of Emperor Sujin”)

Descendants

• Japanese: 天皇, 皇尊 (sumeramikoto)

See also

• 大君 (opoki₁mi)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
天	皇

Noun

天皇

1. chữ Hán form of thiên hoàng (“Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”).