太上天皇だいじょうてんのう

also: だじょうてんのう · たいじょうてんのう · おおきすめらみこと

だ

い

じょ

う

て

ん

の

う

Meanings

1

abdicated emperor; retired emperor

Historical title for an emperor who has abdicated in favor of a successor. Honorific term used in the context of the Japanese imperial court.

天皇てんのう

に

与あた

え

られる

称しょう

号ごう

です

。

Daijō Tennō is a title given to an emperor who has abdicated.

平へい安あん時じ代だいには、多おおくの太上天皇だいじょうてんのうが院いん政せいを行おこなった。

During the Heian period, many retired emperors ruled from behind the scenes.

上じょう皇こう
太上天皇 is the full, formal historical title for a retired emperor, while 上皇 is the everyday abbreviation used for the same person.

From 太上 (daijō, 'supreme' or 'exalted') + 天皇 (tennō, 'emperor'). The term originated in the Nara period to denote an emperor who had abdicated.