Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 が 王おう になる for someone to become king
He won the battle and became king.
王おう を 守まも る to protect the king (in shogi)
This move is meant to protect the king.
王おう に 即そく 位い する to ascend the throne as king
The young prince finally ascended the throne as king.
王おう を 倒たお す to overthrow the king
The rebel army rose up to overthrow the king.
Expressions 王おう 手て をかける to check (in chess) · to threaten (someone's position); to close in on 仁に 王おう 立だ ちになる stand tall and intimidatingly; strike a daunting pose Related words· 8 国王 specifically means a king as the formal head of a state, while 王 is a broader, more general term for a king or ruler.
王者 emphasizes being a champion or supreme dominator in a field, while 王 as a suffix more casually labels someone the 'king' of that field.
君主 is the formal, gender-neutral term for a monarch, while 王 more specifically implies a male king in everyday or narrative usage.
王 is the plain, general word for 'king', while 大王 adds an honorific sense of greatness or supreme power.
Show 4 more Show fewer 王 is the general word for a king or monarch of any culture, while ハン specifically denotes the title used by Turkic, Mongol, or Tatar rulers.
王様 is a respectful, often storytelling term for a king, while 王 is the plain, neutral word for the same role.
王 is the plain, standard Japanese word for a king used in ordinary historical and political contexts, while キング carries a foreign, translated, or entertainment-style flavor.
王 is the plain word for 'king', while 帝王 implies a higher, more absolute sovereignty closer to 'emperor' or a supreme master of a domain.
Politeness 王様 adds the honorific suffix 様 to 王 , making it the polite, respectful way to refer to a king, especially when speaking to or about them with reverence.
Counted with As a person, a 王 (king) is counted with 人 , e.g. 王が一人 for 'one king'.
Counts generations in a succession (三代目 = the third to hold the position).
As a shogi piece, 王 is counted with 枚 , the same flat-object counter used for all shogi pieces.
Word family· 104 Show 25 more Show fewer princess; daughter of a king or queen
righteous government; just rule; kingship · easy method; shortcut; royal road · orthodox way; proper way; classic approach; tried-and-true method
queen consort; empress consort
king; monarch; ruler · champion
throne · first place; top spot; championship
royal family
crown; diadem · bottle cap; crown cap
dynasty
the throne; the crown
royal family; royal house
royalty; royal family
sovereign; emperor; monarch
great king
king (shogi, senior player's) · Ōshō (shogi title)
Dragon King · promoted rook
royal palace
supreme ruler; autocrat; high king
tree peony
check (shogi)
Nio; Deva kings; guardian gods of Buddhism
royal; state-run by a monarch
monarchy; imperial rule
royal authority; regal power; authority of the king
lion (king of beasts)
king and feudal lords; royalty and nobility
See all 104 in Explore →
Etymology From Middle Chinese 王 (hjwang, 'king'). The reading おう is the go-on pronunciation. The figurative and shogi senses developed within Japanese.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
