殿でん下か

で

ん

か

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Your Highness; His Highness; Her Highness

Honorific title used for imperial princes and princesses, and for certain other high-ranking royalty. Can be used as a form of address or as a reference. The reading てんが is obsolete.

皇こう太たい子し殿でん下かが式しき典てんにご出しゅっ席せきになりました。
His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince attended the ceremony.
殿でん下か、お言こと葉ばをいただけますか。
Your Highness, may we have a few words?

See all 28 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉殿でん下かattached after a royal title or name to refer to or address a prince or princess
皇こう太たい子し殿でん下かがご到とう着ちゃくになりました。
His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.
殿でん下か、〈事こと〉used as a vocative when speaking directly to a prince or princess
殿でん下か、お加か減げんはいかがですか。
Your Highness, how are you feeling?

Kanji

殿Mr., hall, mansion
下below, down, descend

Related words

妃ひ殿でん下か
殿下 is a general honorific title used for royalty of either gender, while 妃殿下 specifically denotes a princess.
尊みこと
殿下 is a modern honorific used for princes and princesses, whereas 尊（みこと） is an archaic honorific suffix found in myths and old chronicles.

Don't confuse with

陛へい下か
陛下 is reserved for the reigning Emperor or Empress, while 殿下 is used for princes, princesses, and other non-reigning royalty.
閣かっ下か
閣下 addresses high-ranking officials or ambassadors, whereas 殿下 addresses members of the royal family such as princes and princesses.

Word family

妃ひ殿でん下か
princess; Her Royal Highness

Written forms

殿下Usage100%
- でんか
  Standard kanji spelling; used for princes and princesses of the imperial family and for certain other high-ranking royalty.
- てんが
  out-dated reading
てんが
out-dated reading

Etymology

From Chinese 殿下 (diànxià), literally 'below the palace', used as a respectful indirect reference to royalty.