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Kotomora

帝

sovereign, the emperor, god, creator

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • テイ

Kun'yomi

  • みかど

Meaning

帝 centers on the highest ruling authority: a sovereign, the emperor, or a divine creator. The god sense is an extension of supreme power, not a separate unrelated meaning.

Most common words using 帝

20 of 132
  • 帝国ていこく
    N1

    empire

  • 皇帝こうてい

    emperor

  • 帝みかど

    emperor (of Japan); mikado

  • 大日本帝国だいにっぽんていこく

    Empire of Japan (Japan's official name under the Meiji Constitution)

  • 帝王ていおう

    sovereign; emperor; monarch

  • ローマ帝国ローマていこく

    Roman Empire

  • 大帝たいてい

    great emperor; ... the Great

  • 女帝じょてい

    empress

  • 帝都ていと

    imperial capital

  • 帝王切開ていおうせっかい

    Caesarean section; Cesarean section; C-section

  • 帝政ていせい

    imperial government; imperialism; monarchical rule

  • 帝人ていじん

    Teijin

  • 帝京ていきょう

    Teikyo University (abbr)

  • 帝京ていきょう

    imperial capital

  • 帝京大学ていきょうだいがく

    Teikyo University

  • 聖帝せいてい

    virtuous emperor

  • 帝劇ていげき

    Imperial Theatre (Tokyo)

  • 帝国データバンクていこくデータバンク

    Teikoku Databank, Ltd

  • 天帝てんてい

    Shangdi (supreme deity in ancient Chinese religion)

  • 帝釈天たいしゃくてん

    Śakra (Deva); Shakra; Indra; Shakra Devanam Indra; the king of heaven in Hindu mythology

Explore all words using 帝 →

Study

Etymology

帝 originally depicted an altar or a stand for offerings, later associated with the supreme ruler who performs rites to heaven. The modern form retains the altar-like shape with 巾 at the base.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part looks like a crown or ceremonial headdress, and the bottom 巾 is a cloth or robe. Together they form the image of an emperor in full regalia, the ultimate sovereign.

Reading mnemonic

For テイ, imagine the emperor sipping tea (ティー) on his throne: tea -> テイ, and the emperor's authority is absolute.