also: こうか · こうけ
court noble; kuge; nobility
Only with reading くげ
Refers specifically to the hereditary court nobility of pre-modern Japan, especially the Heian through Edo periods. Often contrasted with 武家 (buke, warrior class).
Metonymic use: the court nobility as a collective body or the institution of the Imperial Court itself. Historical term.
In the Heian period, the court nobles were at the center of politics.
His family line descends from an old court noble family.
The Imperial Court has long preserved traditional culture.
court nobles; courtiers; people of the Imperial Court
Standard kanji spelling for the historical court nobility. The reading くげ is the most common.
Alternate reading, less common than くげ. May be encountered in historical texts.
Alternate reading, less common than くげ. May be encountered in historical texts.
公家 originally denoted the imperial court or imperial household and later the court nobility associated with it. The reading くげ is the established Sino-Japanese reading of the compound.