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東宮 (とうぐう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

東とう宮ぐう

と

う

ぐ

う

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

crown prince; Crown Prince's palace

Refers to the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne, or to his official residence. Used in formal, historical, and news contexts.

東とう宮ぐう殿でん下かは来らい月げつ、海かい外がいご訪

ほう

問もん

の

予よ

定てい

です

。

The Crown Prince is scheduled to visit abroad next month.

東とう宮ぐう御ご所しょは皇こう居きょの東ひがし側がわに位い置ちしている。

The Crown Prince's Palace is located on the east side of the Imperial Palace.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が東とう宮ぐうとなるfor someone to become the Crown Prince
皇おう子じは成せい人じんして東とう宮ぐうとなった。
The prince came of age and became the Crown Prince.

Kanji

東east
宮Shinto shrine, constellations, palace
春springtime, spring (season)

Related words

皇こう太たい子し
皇太子 is the standard, everyday term for 'crown prince,' while 東宮 is a formal, somewhat archaic title used mainly in official or historical writing.

Written forms

東とう宮ぐうUsage83%
Standard modern spelling for the crown prince or his residence.
春宮とうぐうUsage17%
Historical variant; rarely used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Literally 'eastern palace', from the ancient Chinese custom of housing the crown prince in the eastern part of the imperial compound. The term was adopted into Japanese and used historically for the heir apparent.