noun
loyalty to the emperor; imperial loyalism
Historical term referring to devotion and service to the Japanese emperor, especially prominent during the late Edo period and the Meiji Restoration.
幕末には勤王の志士が多く現れた。
Many imperial loyalists appeared at the end of the Edo period.
尊王 (revere the emperor) is often paired with 勤王, but 尊王 emphasizes reverence while 勤王 stresses active service and loyalty.
Compound of 勤 (diligence, service) and 王 (king, here referring to the emperor). The term gained prominence in the 19th century as part of the sonnō jōi movement.