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Words Kanji Guides About

主権在民 (しゅけんざいみん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

主しゅ権けん在ざい民みん

しゅ

け

ん

ざ

い

み

ん

Meanings

1

noun

popular sovereignty; sovereignty of the people

A political principle that the ultimate authority of the state resides in the people. Often used in constitutional and legal contexts.

日本にほん国こく憲けん法ぽうは主しゅ権けん在ざい民みんを基き本ほん原げん理りとしている。
The Constitution of Japan is based on the principle of popular sovereignty.

主しゅ

権けん

在ざい

民みん

の

考かんが

え

方かた

は

民みん

主しゅ

主しゅ

義ぎ

の

根こん

幹かん

を

なす

。

The idea of popular sovereignty forms the foundation of democracy.

Kanji

主lord, chief, master
権authority, power, rights
在exist, outskirts, suburbs
民people, nation, subjects

Similar words

国こく民みん主しゅ権けん
Often used interchangeably, but 国民主権 explicitly refers to the sovereignty of the nation's people, while 主権在民 is a broader principle that sovereignty resides in the people.
民みん主しゅ主しゅ義ぎ
Democracy is the political system based on popular sovereignty; 主権在民 is the underlying principle.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound formed from 主権 (sovereignty), 在 (reside in), and 民 (people). The term was coined in the modern era to translate Western political concepts.