Meaning
The kanji 王 means king, ruler, monarch, or sovereign. Though it appears as early as first-grade elementary school, its meaning stretches well beyond literal royalty. 王 also describes the supreme entity in any domain — 魔王 is a demon king, and ライオンは百獣の王 calls the lion king of all beasts.
王 traces back to ancient Chinese oracle bone script. Three horizontal strokes represent the three realms: heaven (天) at the top, humanity (人) in the middle, earth (地) at the bottom. The vertical line cuts straight through all three — that stroke is the king, the one figure capable of binding all realms under a single authority. That idea gave 王 near-sacred status across ancient East Asian cultures.
A simpler reading sees the three lines as a crown resting on a scepter. Either way, the image holds. At just 4 strokes, 王 also serves as a radical (部首) in its own right, appearing inside 皇 (emperor), 全 (complete), and 玉 (jewel).
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
王 has one on'yomi: オウ. Borrowed from Middle Chinese over a thousand years ago, it covers virtually all compound words — from literal royalty to metaphorical dominance. Whenever 王 appears in a compound, read it おう.
王様 (おうさま) — king (honorific; common in fairy tales and everyday speech)
女王 (じょおう) — queen, female monarch
国王 (こくおう) — king of a nation (formal, literary term)
魔王 (まおう) — demon king, dark lord (common in fantasy and mythology)
帝王 (ていおう) — emperor, supreme sovereign
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
王 has no established kun'yomi. The concept arrived in Japan through Chinese cultural influence, and old Japanese used 大君 (おおきみ) for similar leadership roles. Even when 王 stands alone — as in 「彼は王だ」 — it is still read おう, not a native Japanese reading.
Common Words & Compounds
王 turns up across a wide range of vocabulary: fairy tales, history, mythology, and the shogi board. Key compounds are grouped below by theme.
Royalty & Nobility
- 王様 (おうさま) — king (honorific; standard in children's stories)
- 女王 (じょおう) — queen, female ruler
- 王子 (おうじ) — prince
- 王女 (おうじょ) — princess
- 王室 (おうしつ) — royal family, royal household
- 王位 (おうい) — the throne, royal position
- 王冠 (おうかん) — crown
- 王国 (おうこく) — kingdom
- 国王 (こくおう) — king of a country
Power & Supremacy
- 帝王 (ていおう) — emperor, supreme sovereign
- 覇王 (はおう) — overlord, conquering king
- 王道 (おうどう) — the royal road; the orthodox, proper way
- 魔王 (まおう) — demon king, dark lord
- 王者 (おうしゃ) — champion, the dominant force in a field
Games & Culture
- 王将 (おうしょう) — the king piece in shogi (Japanese chess)
- 王手 (おうて) — check (in shogi); putting someone in a decisive position
- 大王 (だいおう) — great king; used in titles like 閻魔大王 (King Enma, ruler of the underworld)
Example Sentences
むかしむかし、ある国に王がいました。
Mukashi mukashi, aru kuni ni ou ga imashita.
Once upon a time, there was a king in a certain country.
王様は大きな城に住んでいます。
Ousama wa ookina shiro ni sunde imasu.
The king lives in a large castle.
彼は会社の王者と呼ばれている。
Kare wa kaisha no ousha to yobarete iru.
He is called the king (champion) of the company.
ライオンは百獣の王だと言われています。
Raion wa hyakujuu no ou da to iwarete imasu.
It is said that the lion is the king of all beasts.
この国の王室は世界中で有名です。
Kono kuni no oushitsu wa sekai juu de yuumei desu.
This country's royal family is famous throughout the world.
将棋で王手をかけた。
Shougi de oute wo kaketa.
I put the king in check during shogi.
王子は馬に乗って城を出た。
Ouji wa uma ni notte shiro wo deta.
The prince rode out of the castle on horseback.
その勇者はついに魔王を倒した。
Sono yuusha wa tsui ni maou wo taoshita.
The hero finally defeated the demon king.
王道こそが成功への近道だ。
Oudou koso ga seikou e no chikamichi da.
The orthodox way is the surest path to success.
帝王のような態度で部下に命令した。
Teiou no you na taido de buka ni meirei shita.
He gave orders to his subordinates with an emperor-like attitude.
Memory Tip
Picture a king standing between three worlds. The top stroke is heaven (天), the middle is humanity (人), the bottom is earth (地). The vertical line is the king — cutting straight through all three, binding them together. Four strokes, but the image sticks.
You can also read the three lines as a crown on a scepter. When writing 王, go top to bottom: sky, people, earth — then drive the vertical stroke through the center.