Japanese symbol for “emperor”
皇帝
こうてい
Romaji: koutei
emperor
In Japanese, emperor is 皇帝, read こうてい (koutei).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n emperor
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “emperor”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 帝 | みかど mikado | emperor (of Japan); mikado |
| 神 | かみ kami | Emperor (of Japan) |
| 内 | うち uchi | emperor |
| 上 | うえ ue | emperor; sovereign; shogun |
| 帝王 | ていおう teiou | sovereign; emperor; monarch |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 天皇 | てんのう tennou | Emperor of Japan |
| 皇后 | こうごう kougou | empress (consort) |
| 皇太子 | こうたいし koutaishi | crown prince |
| 皇室 | こうしつ koushitsu | Imperial household |
| 天皇陛下 | てんのうへいか tennouheika | His Majesty the Emperor |
| 帝国 | ていこく teikoku | empire |
| 帝王 | ていおう teiou | sovereign; emperor; monarch |
| 大帝 | たいてい taitei | great emperor; ... the Great |
See also: Chinese symbol for “emperor”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.