noun
usurper; tyrant
Historical term for a ruler who seizes power illegitimately, often used in classical Chinese and Japanese contexts. Not a common modern word; typically encountered in historical or political discussions.
古代中国の歴史書には、しばしば僭主の記述が見られる。
Descriptions of usurpers are often found in ancient Chinese history books.
彼は自らを王と称したが、民衆からは僭主と見なされていた。
He called himself king, but the people regarded him as a usurper.
The term 僭主 is composed of 僭 (usurp, overstep) and 主 (master, ruler). It is a classical Sino-Japanese word used in historical and political contexts to denote a ruler who has seized power without legitimate right.