皇

皇 U+7687, 皇 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7687 ← 皆 [U+7686] CJK Unified Ideographs 皈 → [U+7688]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order (Japan)

Han character

皇 (Kangxi radical 106, 白+4, 9 strokes, cangjie input 竹日一土 (HAMG), four-corner 2610₄, composition ⿱白王)

Derived characters

• 喤, 堭, 媓, 崲, 徨, 惶, 揘, 湟, 隍, 𣈷, 楻, 煌, 瑝, 遑, 䄓, 䅣, 䊗, 𬗬, 艎, 蝗, 諻(𬤍), 䞹, 鍠(锽), 韹, 䬖, 餭(𫗮), 騜(𫘩), 鰉(鳇), 䑟, 皝, 皩, 䳨(𬸛), 葟, 篁, 凰, 𡈁, 㾮

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 786, character 14
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 22701
• Dae Jaweon: page 1201, character 14
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2645, character 1
• Unihan data for U+7687

Chinese

simp. and trad.		皇
alternative forms		𤽙 𤽚 𤽢 𤽧 𦤃 𤽙 𤽚 𤽢 𤽧 𦤃 𦤍 𦤐

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 皇
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (王) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
皇	*ɡʷaːŋ
惶	*ɡʷaːŋ
遑	*ɡʷaːŋ
堭	*ɡʷaːŋ
煌	*ɡʷaːŋ
餭	*ɡʷaːŋ
騜	*ɡʷaːŋ
艎	*ɡʷaːŋ
隍	*ɡʷaːŋ
湟	*ɡʷaːŋ
徨	*ɡʷaːŋ
篁	*ɡʷaːŋ
蝗	*ɡʷaːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋs
凰	*ɡʷaːŋ
偟	*ɡʷaːŋ
媓	*ɡʷaːŋ
韹	*ɡʷaːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ
葟	*ɡʷaːŋ
皝	*ɡʷaːŋʔ
汪	*qʷaːŋ, *qʷaːŋs, *qʷaŋʔ
尪	*qʷaːŋ
迋	*kʷaŋʔ, *kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋ, *ɢʷaŋs
逛	*kʷaŋʔ
誑	*kʷaŋs, *ɡʷaŋ, *kʷaŋs
匡	*kʰʷaŋ
筐	*kʰʷaŋ
框	*kʰʷaŋ
眶	*kʰʷaŋ
誆	*kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋs
邼	*kʰʷaŋ
恇	*kʰʷaŋ
劻	*kʰʷaŋ
洭	*kʰʷaŋ
軭	*kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋ
狂	*ɡʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋs
軖	*ɡʷaŋ
鵟	*ɡʷaŋ
俇	*ɡʷaŋʔ
王	*ɢʷaŋ, *ɢʷaŋs
蚟	*ɢʷaŋ
彺	*ɢʷaŋ
旺	*ɢʷaŋs
諻	*qʰʷraːŋ
喤	*qʰʷraːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ
瑝	*ɡʷraːŋ
鍠	*ɡʷraːŋ
揘	*ɡʷaŋ

Pictogram (象形) ― a lit oil lamp. The derivative 煌 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ) refers to the original word.

Later developed into a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ɡʷaːŋ): semantic 白 (“flame”) + phonetic 王 (OC *ɢʷaŋ, *ɢʷaŋs).

Etymology

Bodman (1980) proposes a connection with 王 (OC *ɢʷaŋ) "king" (see there for more information).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): huáng (huang²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄨㄤˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): huang²

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): huáng

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): wong⁴

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): wong⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): vong³

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): fòng

  (Hailu, HRS): fong

  (Meixian, Guangdong): fong²

• Jin (Wiktionary): huon¹
• Northern Min (KCR): uâng
• Eastern Min (BUC): huòng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): horng²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hông

  (Teochew, Peng'im): uang⁵ / huang⁵

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): huang⁵

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): hung⁴
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶waon / ²waon / ²vaon / ²wan
  • (Jinhua): ²uaon
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): uan² / fan²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: huáng
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄨㄤˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: huáng
    • Wade–Giles: huang²
    • Yale: hwáng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: hwang
    • Palladius: хуан (xuan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xu̯ɑŋ³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: huang²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xuong
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xuaŋ²¹/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: huáng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xuaŋ²⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: wong⁴
    • Yale: wòhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: wong⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: wong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɔːŋ²¹/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: wong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vɔŋ²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: vong³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vɔŋ²²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fòng
    • Hakka Romanization System: fong^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: fong²
    • Sinological IPA: /foŋ¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: fong
    • Sinological IPA: /foŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: fong²
    • Sinological IPA: /fɔŋ¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: huon¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /xuɒ̃¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: uâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: huòng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /huoŋ⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: horng²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: hó̤ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɒŋ¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: horng²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɒŋ²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Zhangpu, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hông
    • Tâi-lô: hông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hoong
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /hɔŋ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /hɔŋ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /hɔŋ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangpu): /hɔŋ²¹³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: uang⁵ / huang⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: uâng / huâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ⁵⁵/, /huaŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: huang⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /huaŋ²²/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: hung⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hʊŋ²¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶waon
    • MiniDict: waon^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hhuaan
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦuɑ̃²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Chongming, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ²waon
    • MiniDict: waon^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /ɦuɑ̃³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦuɑ̃²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦuɑ̃²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /ɦuɑ̃³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ɦuɒŋ²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ɦuɔ̃³¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /ɦuɔ²²/
  • (Northern: Songjiang)
    • Wugniu: ²vaon
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /βɒ̃³¹/
  • (Northern: Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²wan
    • MiniDict: wan^平
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /ɦuæ̃²³/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ²uaon
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /uɑŋ³¹³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: uan² / fan²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /u̯an¹³/, /ɸan¹³/

Note:

• uan2 - vernacular;
• fan2 - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: hwang

Rime
Character	皇
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	唐 (102)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	胡光切
Baxter	hwang
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦwɑŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷɑŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣuɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦwaŋ/
Li Rong	/ɣuɑŋ/
Wang Li	/ɣuɑŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ɣwɑŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	huáng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wong4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɢ]ʷˤaŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡʷaːŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	皇	皇
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	huáng	huáng
Middle Chinese	‹ hwang ›	‹ hwang ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɢ]ʷˁaŋ/	/*[ɢ]ʷˁaŋ/
English	yellow and white spotted	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	皇
Reading #	1/1
No.	12696
Phonetic component	王
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	黃
Old Chinese	/*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

Definitions

皇

1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) magnificent
2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) emperor; sovereign; ruler; superior
3. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) royal; imperial; august
4. a surname

Compounds

• 三皇 (Sānhuáng)
• 上皇 (shànghuáng)
• 三皇五帝 (Sānhuáng Wǔdì)
• 二皇
• 人心皇皇
• 人皇
• 保皇會 / 保皇会
• 倉倉皇皇 / 仓仓皇皇
• 倉皇 / 仓皇 (cānghuáng)
• 倉皇失措 / 仓皇失措
• 倉皇無措 / 仓皇无措
• 偽皇 / 伪皇 (wěihuáng)
• 先皇 (xiānhuáng)
• 兒皇帝 / 儿皇帝
• 典雅堂皇
• 典麗矞皇 / 典丽矞皇
• 冠冕堂皇 (guānmiǎntánghuáng)
• 后皇
• 唐哉皇哉
• 唐明皇 (Tángmínghuáng)
• 國戚皇親 / 国戚皇亲
• 土皇帝 (tǔhuángdì)
• 堂堂皇皇
• 堂皇 (tánghuáng)
• 堂皇富麗 / 堂皇富丽
• 堂皇正大
• 堂而皇之 (táng'érhuángzhī)
• 大皇
• 太上皇 (tàishànghuáng)
• 天皇 (tiānhuáng)
• 太皇太后 (tàihuángtàihòu)
• 女皇 (nǚhuáng)
• 娥皇 (Éhuáng)
• 媧皇 / 娲皇 (Wāhuáng)
• 富麗堂皇 / 富丽堂皇 (fùlì tánghuáng)
• 帝皇 (dìhuáng)
• 張皇 / 张皇 (zhānghuáng)
• 張皇失措 / 张皇失措
• 教皇 (jiàohuáng)
• 旁皇 (pánghuáng)
• 明治天皇
• 末代皇帝
• 東皇 / 东皇
• 梁皇寶懺 / 梁皇宝忏
• 梁皇懺
• 歎皇陵 / 叹皇陵
• 步武堂皇
• 汲汲皇皇
• 沙皇 (shāhuáng)
• 泰皇
• 燕啄皇孫 / 燕啄皇孙
• 玉皇 (Yùhuáng)
• 玉皇上帝 (Yùhuáng Shàngdì)
• 玉皇大帝 (Yùhuáng Dàdì)
• 玉皇廟 / 玉皇庙 (Yùhuángmiào)
• 發皇 / 发皇
• 皇上
• 皇位 (huángwèi)
• 皇儲 / 皇储 (huángchǔ)
• 皇冠 (huángguān)
• 皇叔 (huángshū)
• 皇后 (huánghòu)
• 皇圖 / 皇图
• 皇城 (huángchéng)
• 皇墳 / 皇坟
• 皇天 (huángtiān)
• 皇太后 (huángtàihòu)
• 皇天后土 (huángtiānhòutǔ)
• 皇太子 (huángtàizǐ)
• 皇妣 (huángbǐ)
• 皇姑 (huánggū)
• 皇姑屯
• 皇威 (huángwēi)
• 皇室 (huángshì)
• 皇宮 / 皇宫 (huánggōng)
• 皇家 (huángjiā)
• 皇家學會 / 皇家学会
• 皇州 (huángzhōu)
• 皇帝 (huángdì)
• 皇帝豆 (huángdìdòu)
• 皇恩 (huáng'ēn)
• 皇恐灘 / 皇恐滩 (Huángkǒng Tān)
• 皇族 (huángzú)
• 皇朝 (huángcháo)
• 皇極 / 皇极
• 皇極數 / 皇极数
• 皇權 / 皇权 (huángquán)
• 皇甫 (Huángfǔ)
• 皇皇 (huánghuáng)
• 皇皇者華 / 皇皇者华
• 皇矣
• 皇祖
• 皇祖妣 (huángzǔbǐ)
• 皇祖考 (huángzǔkǎo)
• 皇統 / 皇统
• 皇綱 / 皇纲 (huánggāng)
• 皇考 (huángkǎo)
• 皇舅
• 皇舞
• 皇芮 (Huángruì)
• 皇親 / 皇亲 (huángqīn)
• 皇親國戚 / 皇亲国戚 (huángqīnguóqī)
• 皇覽 / 皇览
• 皇輿 / 皇舆
• 皇辟 (huángbì)
• 皇邑
• 皇邸
• 皇都 (huángdū)
• 皇陵 (huánglíng)
• 皇靈 / 皇灵
• 皇鳩 / 皇鸠 (huángjiū)
• 矞皇
• 秦始皇 (Qín Shǐhuáng)
• 秦始皇陵
• 秦皇島 / 秦皇岛 (Qínhuángdǎo)
• 羲皇
• 羲皇上人
• 老皇曆 / 老皇历 (lǎohuánglì)
• 聿皇
• 舊皇曆 / 旧皇历
• 英皇 (yīnghuáng)
• 西皇
• 遹皇
• 馬師皇 / 马师皇
• 鳳皇于蜚
• 鸞皇 / 鸾皇

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (皇):

• → Japanese: 皇(おう) (ō); 皇(こう) (kō)
• → Korean: 황(皇) (hwang)
• → Vietnamese: hoàng (皇)

References

• “皇”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “皇”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 94.

Japanese

Kanji

皇

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: おう (ō, Jōyō)^{←わう (wau, historical)}
• Kan-on: こう (kō, Jōyō)^{←くわう (kwau, historical)}
• Kun: きみ (kimi, 皇)、すめ (sume, 皇)、すべ (sube)、すめら (sumera)、すべら (subera)、すべらぎ (suberagi, 皇)、すめらぎ (sumeragi, 皇)、おお (ō)、み (mi)、おうじ (ōji)、かみ (kami)
• Nanori: きみ (kimi)、きらり (kirari)、ただす (tadasu)、みゆき (miyuki)

Compounds

• 皇子(みこ) (miko)
• 皇女(みこ) (miko)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
皇
こう Grade: 6
kan'on

/kʷau/ → /kʷɔː/ → /kɔː/ → /koː/

From Middle Chinese 皇 (MC hwang).

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ko̞ː]

Affix

皇(こう) • (kō) ^{←くわう (kwau)?}

1. creator
2. monarch, ruler, sovereign
3. emperor, mikado, tenno
4. Japan, Japanese

Derived terms

• 皇(こう)位(い) (kōi)
• 皇(こう)威(い) (kōi)
• 皇(こう)胤(いん) (kōin)
• 皇(こう)運(うん) (kōun)
• 皇(こう)裔(えい) (kōei)
• 皇(こう)恩(おん) (kōon)
• 皇(こう)化(か) (kōka)
• 皇(こう)家(か) (kōka)
• 皇(こう)華(か) (kōka)
• 皇(こう)学(がく) (kōgaku)
• 皇(こう)嘉(か)門(もん) (Kōkamon)
• 皇(こう)漢(かん) (Kōkan)
• 皇(こう)侃(かん) (Kōkan)
• 皇(こう)基(き) (kōki)
• 皇(こう)紀(き) (Kōki)
• 皇(こう)宮(きゅう) (kōkyū)
• 皇(こう)居(きょ) (kōkyo)
• 皇(こう)宮(ぐう) (kōgū)
• 皇(こう)軍(ぐん) (kōgun)
• 皇(こう)系(けい) (kōkei)
• 皇(こう)継(けい) (kōkei)
• 皇(こう)闕(けつ) (kōketsu)
• 皇(こう)后(ごう) (kōgō)
• 皇(こう)后(ごう)宮(ぐう) (kōgōgū)
• 皇(こう)考(こう) (kōkō)
• 皇(こう)国(こく) (kōkoku)
• 皇(こう)嗣(し) (kōshi)
• 皇(こう)子(し) (kōshi)
• 皇(こう)師(し) (kōshi)
• 皇(こう)室(しつ) (kōshitsu)
• 皇(こう)寿(じゅ) (kōju)
• 皇(こう)女(じょ) (kōjo)
• 皇(こう)上(じょう) (kōjō)
• 皇(こう)城(じょう) (kōjō)
• 皇(こう)庶(しょ)子(し) (kōshoshi)
• 皇(こう)親(しん) (kōshin)
• 皇(こう)曽(そう)孫(そん) (kōsōson)
• 皇(こう)籍(せき) (kōseki)
• 皇(こう)祖(そ) (kōso)
• 皇(こう)祚(そ) (kōso)
• 皇(こう)宗(そう) (kōsō)
• 皇(こう)族(ぞく) (kōzoku)
• 皇(こう)祖(そ)考(こう) (kōsokō)
• 皇(こう)祖(そ)妣(ひ) (kōsohi)
• 皇(こう)孫(そん) (kōson)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)后(ごう) (kōtaigō)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)子(し) (kōtaishi)
• 皇(こう)大(たい)神(じん) (Kōtaijin)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)孫(そん) (kōtaison)
• 皇(こう)太弟(たいてい) (kōtaitei)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)妃(ひ) (kōtaihi)
• 皇(こう)太(たい)夫(ふ)人(じん) (kōtaifujin)
• 皇(こう)沢(たく) (kōtaku)
• 皇(こう)儲(ちょ) (kōcho)
• 皇(こう)張(ちょう) (kōchō)
• 皇(こう)朝(ちょう) (Kōchō)
• 皇(こう)長(ちょう)子(し) (kōchōshi)
• 皇(こう)帝(てい) (kōtei)
• 皇(こう)弟(てい) (kōtei)
• 皇(こう)天(てん) (kōten)
• 皇(こう)典(てん) (kōten)
• 皇(こう)図(と) (kōto)
• 皇(こう)土(ど) (kōdo)
• 皇(こう)都(と) (kōto)
• 皇(こう)統(とう) (kōtō)
• 皇(こう)道(どう) (kōdō)
• 皇(こう)妃(ひ) (kōhi)
• 皇(こう)妣(ひ) (kōhi)
• 皇(こう)風(ふう) (kōfū)
• 皇(こう)別(べつ) (kōbetsu)
• 皇(こう)謨(ぼ) (kōbo)
• 皇(こう)民(みん) (kōmin)
• 皇(こう)猶(ゆう)子(し) (kōyūshi)
• 皇(こう)輿(よ) (kōyo)
• 皇(こう)陵(りょう) (kōryō)
• 皇(こう)霊(れい) (kōrei)
• 教(きょう)皇(こう) (kyōkō)
• 三(さん)皇(こう) (Sankō)
• 上(じょう)皇(こう) (jōkō)
• 女(じょ)皇(こう) (jokō)
• 先(せん)皇(こう) (senkō)
• 倉(そう)皇(こう) (sōkō)
• 地(ち)皇(こう) (Chikō)
• 張(ちょう)皇(こう) (chōkō)
• 儲(ちょ)皇(こう) (chokō)
• 天(てん)皇(こう) (Tenkō)

Proper noun

皇(こう) • (Kō) ^{←くわう (Kwau)?}

1. a unisex given name

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
皇
おう Grade: 6
goon

/wau/ → /wɔː/ → /ɔː/ → /oː/

From Middle Chinese 皇 (MC hwang).

The 呉(ご)音(おん) (goon, literally “Wu sound”) pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [o̞ː]

Affix

皇(おう) • (ō) ^{←わう (wau)?}

1. emperor, mikado, tenno

Derived terms

• 皇(おう)侃(がん) (Ōgan)
• 皇(おう)帝(だい) (Ōdai)
• 皇(おう)子(じ) (ōji)
• 皇(おう)女(じょ) (ōjo)
• 皇(おう)城(じょう) (ōjō)
• 皇(おう)麞(じょう) (Ōjō)
• 教(きょう)皇(おう) (kyōō)
• 先(せん)皇(おう) (sen'ō)
• 法(ほう)皇(おう) (hōō)
• 勤(きん)皇(のう) (kinnō)
• 人(じん)皇(のう) (jinnō)
• 新(しん)皇(のう) (shinnō)
• 先(せん)皇(のう) (sennō)
• 尊(そん)皇(のう) (sonnō)
• 天(てん)皇(のう) (tennō)
• 人(にん)皇(のう) (ninnō)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
皇
すべ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

/sume/ → /sube/

From Old Japanese, as a shift from older sume.

Previously thought to be derived as the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, continuative or stem form) of Old Japanese verb 統(す)ぶ (subu), modern 統(す)べる (suberu, “to control, to govern, to rule”). However, later research into ancient phonetic spellings clarified that the be portion of the verb was realized as ⟨be₂⟩. During the Old Japanese stage, ⟨be₂⟩ could only have derived phonetically from ⟨me₂⟩, and not from the ⟨me₁⟩ syllable of the noun.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨbe̞]

Prefix

皇(すべ) • (sube-) 

1. (archaic) prefix of praise and respect, usually towards 神 (kami, “Shinto deities”) or 天皇 (tennō, “Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”):
   1. divine, godly, heavenly
   2. imperial, royal, august

Derived terms

• 皇神(すべがみ) (subegami)
• 天皇(すべらぎ) (suberagi)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
皇
すめ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

⟨sume₁⟩ → */sumʲe/ → /sume/

From Old Japanese. Appears to be the older form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨme̞]

Prefix

皇(すめ) • (sume-) 

1. (archaic) prefix of praise and respect, usually towards 神 (kami, “Shinto deities”) or 天皇 (tennō, “Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”):
   1. divine, godly, heavenly
   2. imperial, royal, august

Derived terms

• すめいろと (sumeiroto)
• 皇(すめ)大神(おおかみ) (Sume-ōkami)
• 皇神(すめがみ) (sumegami)
• 皇(すめ)御(み)祖(おや) (sumemioya)
• 皇子(すめみこ) (sumemiko)
• 皇(すめ)御孫(みま), 皇孫(すめみま) (sumemima)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
皇
すべら Grade: 6
kun'yomi

From the prefix 皇(すべ) (sube-, see above) + 等(ら) (-ra, nominalizing and pluralizing suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɨbe̞ɾa̠]

Prefix

皇(すべら) • (subera-) 

1. (archaic) prefix of praise and respect, usually towards 神 (kami, “Shinto deities”) or 天皇 (tennō, “Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”):
   1. divine, godly, heavenly
   2. imperial, royal, august

Derived terms

• 皇(すべら)神(がみ) (suberagami)
• 天皇(すべらぎ) (suberagi)

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
皇
すめら Grade: 6
kun'yomi

From the prefix 皇(すめ) (sume-, see above) + 等(ら) (-ra, nominalizing and pluralizing suffix).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) すめら [sùmérá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [sɨme̞ɾa̠]

Prefix

皇(すめら) • (sumera-) 

1. (archaic) prefix of praise and respect, usually towards 神 (kami, “Shinto deities”) or 天皇 (tennō, “Emperor or Empress (regnant) of Japan”):
   1. divine, godly, heavenly
   2. imperial, royal, august

Derived terms

• 天皇(すめらぎ) (sumeragi, “the Emperor/Empress Regnant”, literally “imperial man”)
• 天皇(すめらみこと), 皇(すめら)尊(みこと) (sumeramikoto, “His/Her Majesty the Emperor/Empress Regnant”, literally “imperial august thing”)
• 皇(すめら)御(み)国(くに) (sumeramikuni, “His/Her Majesty's empire”, literally “imperial august land”)
• 皇(すめら)御(み)軍(くさ) (sumeramikusa, “His/Her Majesty's military”, literally “imperial august fighters”)

Proper noun

皇(すめら) • (Sumera) 

1. a female given name

Etymology 7

Kanji in this term
皇
すべらぎ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

Kanji in this term
皇
すめらぎ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 皇 – see the following entry.

【天皇すべらぎ】 [noun] (archaic) a term of address for an emperor or empress regnant of Japan 【天皇すめらぎ】 [noun] (honorific, archaic) a term of address for an emperor or empress regnant of Japan

(This term, 皇, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 8

Kanji in this term
皇
すめらぎ Grade: 6
kun'yomi

From 天皇(すめらぎ) (sumeragi, “a term of address for an emperor or empress regnant of Japan”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) すめらぎ [sùmérágí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [sɨme̞ɾa̠ɡʲi]

Proper noun

皇(すめらぎ) • (Sumeragi) 

1. a female given name
2. a surname

Etymology 9

Kanji in this term
皇
きみ Grade: 6
nanori

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) きみ [kìmí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [kʲimʲi]

Proper noun

皇(きみ) • (Kimi) 

1. a female given name

Etymology 10

Kanji in this term
皇
きらり Grade: 6
nanori

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʲiɾa̠ɾʲi]

Proper noun

皇(きらり) • (Kirari) 

1. a female given name

Etymology 11

Kanji in this term
皇
ただす Grade: 6
nanori

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ただす [táꜜdàsù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ta̠da̠sɨ]

Proper noun

皇(ただす) • (Tadasu) 

1. a unisex given name

Etymology 12

Kanji in this term
皇
みゆき Grade: 6
nanori

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) みゆき [mìyúkí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [mʲijɯ̟kʲi]

Proper noun

皇(みゆき) • (Miyuki) 

1. a female given name

References

• “^△皇”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[2] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 皇 (MC hwang).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᅘᅪᇰ (Yale: hhwang) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean 화ᇰ (hwang) (Yale: hwang) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɸwa̠ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [황]

Hanja

皇 (eumhun 임금 황 (imgeum hwang))

1. hanja form^? of 황 (“king; monarch; ruler”)

Compounds

• 교황 (敎皇, gyohwang)
• 천황 (天皇, cheonhwang)
• 태황태후 (太皇太后, taehwangtaehu)
• 황제 (皇帝, hwangje)
• 황태후 (皇太后, hwangtaehu)
• 황후 (皇后, hwanghu)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 皇.

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 와ᇰ (Yale: wang) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Hanja

皇 (eumhun 엄숙할 왕 (eomsukhal wang))

1. (archaic) hanja form^? of 왕 (“to be solemn”)
   • 1567, 선조소경대왕실록 (宣祖昭敬大王實錄), 즉위년 십월 (卽位年 十月):

     卿之下去, 適在皇皇罔極之中, 未及察之。

     경지하거, 적재왕왕망극지중, 미급찰지. (gyeongjihageo, jeokjaewang'wangmanggeukjijung, migeupchalji.)

     The noble official descended, heads towards solemnness that is boundless in the middle, not able to investigate it.

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Vietnamese

Han character

皇: Hán Việt readings: hoàng (胡(hồ)光(quang)切(thiết)), huỳnh
皇: Nôm readings: hoàng, huỳnh

1. chữ Hán form of hoàng (“emperor”)

Compounds

• 三皇五帝 (Tam Hoàng Ngũ Đế)
• 俄皇 (Nga hoàng)
• 堂皇 (đàng hoàng)
• 天皇 (thiên hoàng)
• 太皇太后 (thái hoàng thái hậu)
• 女皇 (nữ hoàng)
• 婆皇 (bà hoàng)
• 教皇 (giáo hoàng)
• 日皇 (Nhật hoàng)
• 沙皇 (sa hoàng)
• 玉皇 (Ngọc Hoàng)
• 皇上 (hoàng_thượng)
• 皇后 (hoàng hậu)
• 皇太后 (hoàng thái hậu)
• 皇子 (hoàng tử)
• 皇家 (hoàng gia)
• 皇帝 (hoàng_đế)
• 皇族 (hoàng tộc)