also: こうか · こうけ
noun
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).
平安時代、公家は政治の中心にいた。
In the Heian period, the court nobles were at the center of politics.
彼の家系は古い公家の出だ。
His family line descends from an old court noble family.
noun
Metonymic use: the court nobility as a collective body or the institution of the Imperial Court itself. Historical term.
公家は長く伝統文化を守ってきた。
The Imperial Court has long preserved traditional culture.
Alternate reading, less common than くげ. May be encountered in historical texts.
From Middle Chinese 公家 (kuwng kæ, 'duke's house; court'). The reading くげ is a Japanese adaptation, possibly influenced by 公 (ku) + 家 (ke, 'house').