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聖代 (せいだい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

聖せい代だい

せ

い

だ

い

Meanings

1

noun

magnificent imperial reign

A formal, literary noun praising an emperor's reign as virtuous and prosperous. Found mainly in historical or poetic contexts.

聖せい代だいの治ち世せいは後こう世せいの模も範はんとされた。
The rule of that magnificent imperial reign was held up as a model for later generations.

Kanji

聖holy, saint, sage
代substitute, change, convert

Similar words

御み代よ
御代 is a more common, respectful term for an imperial reign, while 聖代 is rarer and explicitly praises the reign as virtuous.

Etymology

Compound of 聖 (holy, virtuous) and 代 (era, reign). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a glorious imperial era.