王座(おうざ)

おうざ
noun
throne; championship title
1. throne; royal seat
The seat or position of a king or queen. Used literally for a monarch's seat.
王(おう)が王座(おうざ)に座(すわ)る。
The king sits on the throne.
革命(かくめい)によって王(おう)は王座(おうざ)を追(お)われた。
The king was driven from the throne by the revolution.
長(なが)い歴史(れきし)の中(なか)で多(おお)くの王(おう)がこの王座(おうざ)に就(つ)いた。
Throughout the long history, many kings ascended to this throne.
2. championship title; top position
The position of champion or number one in a competition, sport, or field. Very common in sports and shogi/go contexts.
王座(おうざ)を守(まも)る。
To defend the title.
三年(さんねん)連続(れんぞく)で王座(おうざ)に輝(かがや)いた。
They won the championship for three years in a row.
若手(わかて)棋士(きし)が王座(おうざ)戦(せん)で初(はつ)タイトルを獲得(かくとく)した。
A young shogi player won their first title in the Oza tournament.

Compound of 王(おう) (king) + 座(ざ) (seat). Used both literally for a royal throne and figuratively for the top position in competitive fields.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 王座(おうざ)に就(つ)く: to ascend to the throne / to win the title
  • 王座(おうざ)を守(まも)る: to defend the title
  • 王座(おうざ)を奪(うば)う: to seize the title
  • 王座(おうざ)戦(せん): Oza tournament (one of the eight major shogi titles)
  • 王座(おうざ)に輝(かがや)く: to shine as champion

CULTURAL NOTE:
王座(おうざ)戦(せん) is one of the eight major title matches in professional shogi (将棋(しょうぎ)). It is also used as a title in go (囲碁(いご)). In general sports reporting, 王座(おうざ) is commonly used to mean "the championship."

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 玉座(ぎょくざ): throne (more literary; emphasizes the physical seat)
  • チャンピオン: champion (loanword, more casual)
  • 覇者(はしゃ): champion, conqueror (literary, emphatic)
general
Added 2026.4.2 10:01
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