also: てんかにん
noun
ruler of the whole country; person who holds the reins of government
Historical term for a supreme ruler, especially in the context of the Sengoku period. Often used to describe figures like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, or Tokugawa Ieyasu.
織田信長は天下人を目指した。
Oda Nobunaga aimed to become the ruler of the whole country.
豊臣秀吉は天下人として全国
Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the whole country as its supreme ruler.
覇者 refers to a supreme champion or conqueror, often in a broader sense including sports or business, while 天下人 specifically denotes a historical ruler of Japan.
将軍 is a military title (shogun) and a formal position, whereas 天下人 emphasizes the de facto control over the entire country, not necessarily the official title.
Compound of 天下 (tenka, 'the whole country, the realm') and 人 (hito, 'person'), with rendaku voicing to びと. The reading てんかにん is a less common on'yomi-based variant.