侯こう

noun, noun, used as a suffix

marquis; second highest rank of the five ranks of nobility

Historical term for the second highest rank in the pre-1947 Japanese peerage system (公爵, 侯爵, 伯爵, 子爵, 男爵). Often used as a suffix attached to a domain name or family name.

See also: 五等爵

• 彼かれの先せん祖ぞは薩さつ摩ま侯こうだった。

  His ancestor was the Marquis of Satsuma.

• 侯こう爵しゃくの略りゃく称しょうとして「侯こう」が使つかわれた。

  侯 was used as an abbreviation for 侯爵 (marquis).

noun, noun, used as a suffix

daimyo

Historical term for a feudal lord, particularly in the Edo period. The kanji 侯 was sometimes used in formal titles for daimyo, but 大名 is the more common term.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、加か賀が侯こうは百ひゃく万まん石ごくを領りょうした。

  In the Edo period, the Lord of Kaga ruled over one million koku.