noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
under the rule of; under the reign of
Formal, somewhat literary term used in historical or political contexts to indicate being under a particular ruler, government, or administration. Often appears in the pattern 〜の治下に.
This region was long under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate.
The people under his rule suffered from heavy taxes.
Standard kanji form; the reading ちか is unambiguous.
Compound of 治 (chi, 'govern, rule') and 下 (ka, 'under'). The reading is on'yomi. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a standard Sino-Japanese pattern for 'under the rule of'.