尊皇

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
尊	皇
そん Grade: 6	おう > のう Grade: 6
goon

Originally from Middle Chinese compound 尊王 (*t͡zuən *hiuɑng, “revere the king”), probably from the phrase 尊王攘夷 (*t͡zuən *hiuɑng *njaŋ *i, “revere the king, expel the barbarians”), appearing in Chinese literature beginning in the Warring States period, some time between 475 BC and 221 BC.

In Japanese, 尊王 and 尊皇 are both read as sonnō and have mostly the same meaning (“revere the ruler”). The 尊皇 spelling might be preferred in Japanese contexts, as Japan has historically had an emperor (皇) instead of a king (王).

The ō reading for 皇 changes to nō as an instance of renjō (連声).

Noun

尊(そん)皇(のう) • (sonnō) ^{←そんわう (son'wau)?}

1. Alternative spelling of 尊王 (“reverence for the emperor”)

Derived terms

• 尊(そん)皇(のう)論(ろん) (sonnōron): royalism, a belief in the supremacy of the monarchy
• 尊(そん)皇(のう)攘(じょう)夷(い) (sonnō jōi): revere the emperor, kick out the barbarians (nationalist slogan)
• 尊(そん)皇(のう)討(とう)奸(かん) (sonnō tōkan)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
尊	皇
そん Grade: 6	おう Grade: 6
goon

The older reading for this term, without renjō (連声, “sandhi”).

Noun

尊(そん)皇(おう) • (son'ō) ^{←そんわう (son'wau)?}

1. (rare, archaic) Alternative spelling of 尊王 (“reverence for the emperor”)