璽
emperor's seal
Readings
On'yomi
- ジ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
璽 centers on the emperor's personal seal, a physical mark of ultimate authority and authenticity.
Most common words using 璽
- 璽じ
emperor's seal
- 剣璽けんじ
sacred sword and jewels (imperial regalia)
- 剣璽等承継の儀けんじとうしょうけいのぎ
Ceremony for Inheriting the Imperial Regalia and Seals
- 印璽いんじ
imperial seal
- 国璽こくじ
great seal; seal of state
- 御名御璽ぎょめいぎょじ
privy seal; imperial seal
- 御璽ぎょじ
imperial seal; privy seal
- 玉璽ぎょくじ
sovereign's seal
- 璽書じしょ
document with the emperor's seal
- 璽符じふ
imperial seal
- 神璽しんじ
Imperial regalia (esp. the jewel Yasakani no Magatama)
- 霊璽れいじ
something worshiped as a symbol for the spirit of the dead
- 霊璽簿れいじぼ
list of names of the dead
Study
Etymology
璽 combines 爾 (originally a phonetic element) with 玉 (jade), reflecting the material of the imperial seal. The exact historical development of 爾's role is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 爾 looks like a complex official emblem, and the bottom 玉 is jade. Picture an intricately carved jade stamp that only the emperor can use.
Reading mnemonic
For ジ, imagine the emperor pressing his seal with a soft 'ji' sound as it stamps the paper: the sound 'ji' cues ジ.