Kanji N1

皇: emperor

皇 is a JLPT N1 kanji meaning emperor, written with 9 strokes. It is read コウ, オウ (on), and has no common kun reading. Children in Japan learn it in grade 6. You will see it in 天皇 (てんのう, Emperor of Japan) and 皇居 (こうきょ, Imperial Palace).

皇

Meanings

  • emperor
Strokes9
JLPT levelN1
School gradeGrade 6
Frequency#721 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • コウ
  • オウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • None in common use

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

1234567890 / 9

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 9. Start at the dot.

Common words with 皇

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 天皇てんのう

    Emperor of Japan

    JLPT N2
  • 皇居こうきょ

    Imperial Palace (of Japan); imperial residence

    JLPT N1
  • 皇后こうごう

    empress (consort)

  • 皇室こうしつ

    Imperial household

  • 皇太子こうたいし

    crown prince

  • 皇帝こうてい

    emperor

  • 皇民党こうみんとう

    Imperialist Party

  • 皇族こうぞく

    imperial family; royalty

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.