Japanese Symbol for
王ō
king · ruler · champion
Readings
Meaning
King, ruler, sovereign, champion. 王 is a pictograph of a person standing between heaven and earth — the one who connects the divine and the human. In chess (将棋 — shōgi), 王将 (ōshō) is the king piece.
Example words
国王
kokuō
king, monarch
王者
ōja
king, champion, ruler
王様
ō-sama
king (honorific)
王国
ōkoku
kingdom
魔王
maō
Demon King, Dark Lord
王将
ōshō
king piece in shōgi
Japan technically has an Emperor (天皇 — Tennō) rather than a King — the Emperor is considered a living deity descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu, the world's longest-reigning royal lineage. 王 (ō) appears in 魔王 (Demon King) — the boss villain in nearly every Japanese RPG and fantasy story, making it one of the most recognized kanji in anime culture.
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