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帝国臣民 (ていこくしんみん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

帝てい国こく臣しん民みん

て

い

こ

く

し

ん

み

ん

Meanings

1

imperial subject

Historical term for a subject of the Empire of Japan, used in legal and political contexts before 1947.

戦せん前ぜんの日本にほんでは、人ひと々びとは帝てい国こく臣しん民みんとされてい

た

。

In prewar Japan, people were considered imperial subjects.

Kanji

帝sovereign, the emperor, god
国country
臣retainer, subject
民people, nation, subjects

Related words

国こく民みん
国民 is the modern term for 'citizen' or 'national', while 帝国臣民 specifically refers to subjects under the imperial system.

Built from

帝てい国こく+臣しん民みん

Etymology

Compound of 帝国 (empire) and 臣民 (subject). The term reflects the prewar Japanese legal concept of subjects under the Emperor.