王(おう)

おう
noun, suffix
king; ruler; champion
1. king; monarch; ruler
A male sovereign or ruler. Used for kings in history, fairy tales, and foreign countries.
王(おう)が国(くに)を治(おさ)めた。
The king ruled the country.
むかしむかし、ある国(くに)に王(おう)がいました。
Once upon a time, there was a king in a certain land.
ルイ十四世(じゅうよんせい)は「太陽王(たいようおう)」と呼(よ)ばれた偉大(いだい)な王(おう)だった。
Louis XIV was a great king called the 'Sun King.'
2. king; champion; master
Used as a suffix or title to indicate the supreme or dominant figure in a field. Common in games, sports, and informal rankings.
本塁打(ほんるいだ)王(おう)に輝(かがや)いた。
He won the home run crown.
あの店(みせ)はラーメンの王(おう)だ。
That shop is the king of ramen.
将棋(しょうぎ)では王(おう)を取(と)られたら負(ま)けだ。
In shogi, you lose if your king is captured.

Means 'king' both literally and figuratively. As a suffix, it designates the top figure in a domain.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 王様(おうさま) — king (polite/fairy-tale form)
  • 王子(おうじ) — prince
  • 王女(おうじょ) — princess
  • 王国(おうこく) — kingdom
  • 王座(おうざ) — throne
  • 女王(じょおう) — queen
  • 国王(こくおう) — king (of a country)
  • 王冠(おうかん) — crown

AS A SUFFIX (~王(おう)):

  • 本塁打王(ほんるいだおう) — home run king/champion
  • 打点王(だてんおう) — RBI champion
  • 海賊王(かいぞくおう) — pirate king
  • 魔王(まおう) — demon king

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 皇帝(こうてい) — emperor (higher rank than king)
  • 天皇(てんのう) — Emperor of Japan (specific title)
  • 君主(くんしゅ) — monarch, sovereign (formal/generic)
general
Added 2026.3.25 19:13
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