noun
emperor; Son of Heaven
Refers to the emperor in a traditional Chinese-influenced context, emphasizing a heavenly mandate to rule. Often used in historical or formal settings.
天子は天の命を受けて国を治めた。
The emperor ruled the country by the mandate of heaven.
noun
heavenly being; celestial being
A less common, more literary or mythological sense referring to a divine or celestial entity. Not used in everyday conversation.
伝説では、天子が天から降りてきたとされる。
Legend has it that a heavenly being descended from the sky.
天皇 is the standard modern term for the Japanese emperor, while 天子 carries a more classical, Chinese-influenced nuance of a ruler with a heavenly mandate.
From Chinese 天子 (tiānzǐ), literally 'Son of Heaven', referring to the emperor as the one who receives the mandate of heaven.