also: せんのう
previous king; late king
Refers to a king who reigned before the current one, often implying the king is deceased. Used in historical or monarchical contexts.
During the reign of the previous king, this country prospered.
Following the late king's will, we will undertake new reforms.
ancient virtuous king
Rare, historical reference to a wise and virtuous ruler from ancient times, often in Chinese-influenced contexts. Not used for modern monarchs.
In classical texts, there are many descriptions praising the virtues of ancient kings.
Standard kanji spelling; reading せんおう is more common than せんのう.
Alternate reading; less common than せんおう.
Compound of 先 (previous, former) and 王 (king). The reading せんおう is the standard on'yomi combination; せんのう is a less common variant.