How to say "empress" in Japanese

• 皇后こうごうCommon
  nounThe empress consort — the wife of an emperor, as in the Japanese imperial household. It does not mean a woman who reigns as emperor in her own right.
• 后きさきCommon
  nounIt covers both an empress consort and a queen consort — the wife of an emperor or of a king. For the emperor's consort specifically, 皇后 is the more precise word.
• 女帝じょていCommon
  nounAn empress regnant: a woman who reigns as emperor in her own right, not the wife of an emperor. This is the word for Japan's reigning empresses.
• 王妃おうひCommon
  nounChiefly a queen consort, the wife of a king. It can also stand for an empress consort, but 皇后 is the word that refers specifically to an emperor's consort.
  王妃おうひは王おうのかたわらに立たっていた。↗

  The queen stood beside the king.
• 御所ごしょCommon
  nounA respectful (sonkeigo) term that can refer to the emperor, the empress, an ex-emperor or an imperial prince. Seldom the word you want for 'empress' itself — use 皇后 or 女帝.

Use 皇后 for an emperor's consort and 女帝 for a woman who reigns as emperor; 后 and 王妃 cover consorts of emperors or kings, while 御所 is a respectful reference, seldom the word you want for 'empress'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 皇后こうごうempress (consort)
• 后きさきempress (consort)
• 女帝じょていempress
• 王妃おうひqueen (consort)
• 后きさいempress (consort)
• エンプレスempress
• 国母こくぼempress
• 皇妃こうひempress
• 女皇じょこうempress
• 国の母くにのははempress
• 正妃せいひlegal wife of an emperor or king
• 御所ごしょemperor
• 中宮ちゅうぐうempress
• 后宮こうぐうempress
• 皇后宮こうごうぐうempress