皇后 in Chinese / Japanese...

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Empress

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huáng hòu

kou gou

황후

皇后 is the title of empress/emperess, the female form of the emperor.

皇后 is used in Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

While the emperor's reign was for life, if he died, his wife would hold his power. In this case, a woman was the ultimate ruler of the greater part of East Asia (now China) until her death and the succession of the emperor's firstborn son to lead the empire. Numerous times in various Chinese dynasties, an empress took power in this way.

The first character means emperor by itself.

The second character alone can mean “wife of an emperor or king” (the first character clarifies that we are talking about an empress and not a queen). It can also mean sovereign or last offspring, depending on context.

Note: In some books, this word is translated as queen. While only incorrect if you get technical (because an empress is theoretically a higher level than a queen), the meaning is very similar.

皇后 is sometimes used for the title of queen, but more technically, this is the wife of the emperor (a higher level than a queen).

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Below are some entries from our dictionary that may match your 皇后 search...

Characters If shown, 2nd row is Simp. Chinese	Pronunciation Romanization	Simple Dictionary Definition
皇后 see styles	huáng hòu huang2 hou4 huang hou kougou / kogo こうごう	More info & calligraphy: Empress empress; imperial consort (noun - becomes adjective with の) (Japanese) empress; queen; (surname) Kōgou empress
三皇后 see styles	sankougou / sankogo さんこうごう	三皇后 Custom Scroll (rare) (See 三后) Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Empress Consort
上皇后 see styles	joukougou / jokogo じょうこうごう	上皇后 Custom Scroll retired empress; ex-empress; former empress; empress emerita
皇后區皇后区 see styles	huáng hòu qū huang2 hou4 qu1 huang hou ch`ü huang hou chü	皇后區 Custom Scroll Queens, one of the five boroughs of New York City
皇后宮 see styles	kougouguu / kogogu こうごうぐう	皇后宮 Custom Scroll (1) empress's residence; (2) (See 皇后) empress
皇后島 see styles	kougoushima / kogoshima こうごうしま	皇后島 Custom Scroll (personal name) Kōgoushima
皇后崎 see styles	kougasaki / kogasaki こうがさき	皇后崎 Custom Scroll (place-name) Kōgasaki
皇后石 see styles	kougouishi / kogoishi こうごういし	皇后石 Custom Scroll (place-name) Kōgouishi
皇后鎮皇后镇 see styles	huáng hòu zhèn huang2 hou4 zhen4 huang hou chen	皇后鎮 Custom Scroll Queenstown, town in New Zealand
光明皇后 see styles	koumyoukougou / komyokogo こうみょうこうごう	光明皇后 Custom Scroll (personal name) Kōmyoukougou
冰雪皇后 see styles	bīng xuě huáng hòu bing1 xue3 huang2 hou4 ping hsüeh huang hou	冰雪皇后 Custom Scroll Dairy Queen (brand)
扮裝皇后扮装皇后 see styles	bàn zhuāng huáng hòu ban4 zhuang1 huang2 hou4 pan chuang huang hou	扮裝皇后 Custom Scroll drag queen; female impersonator
皇后崎町 see styles	kougasakimachi / kogasakimachi こうがさきまち	皇后崎町 Custom Scroll (place-name) Kōgasakimachi
皇后陛下 see styles	kougouheika / kogoheka こうごうへいか	皇后陛下 Custom Scroll (honorific or respectful language) (See 皇后) Her Majesty the Empress (of Japan)
神功皇后 see styles	jinguukougou / jingukogo じんぐうこうごう	神功皇后 Custom Scroll (person) Jinguukougou (empress)
變裝皇后变装皇后 see styles	biàn zhuāng huáng hòu bian4 zhuang1 huang2 hou4 pien chuang huang hou	變裝皇后 Custom Scroll drag queen
貞明皇后 see styles	teimeikougou / temekogo ていめいこうごう	貞明皇后 Custom Scroll (person) Teimeikougou (1884-1951) (empress)
選美皇后选美皇后 see styles	xuǎn měi huáng hòu xuan3 mei3 huang2 hou4 hsüan mei huang hou	選美皇后 Custom Scroll beauty queen
香淳皇后 see styles	koujunkougou / kojunkogo こうじゅんこうごう	香淳皇后 Custom Scroll (person) Kōjunkougou (1903.3.6-2000.6.16) (empress)
上皇后陛下 see styles	joukougouheika / jokogoheka じょうこうごうへいか	上皇后陛下 Custom Scroll (honorific or respectful language) (See 上皇后) retired empress; ex-empress; former empress; empress emerita
仁正皇后陵 see styles	ninseikougouryou / ninsekogoryo にんせいこうごうりょう	仁正皇后陵 Custom Scroll (place-name) Ninseikougouryō
域多利皇后 see styles	yù duō lì huáng hòu yu4 duo1 li4 huang2 hou4 yü to li huang hou	域多利皇后 Custom Scroll Queen Victoria (1819-1901), reigned 1837-1901
皇后美智子 see styles	kougoumichiko / kogomichiko こうごうみちこ	皇后美智子 Custom Scroll (person) Kōgou Michiko (1934.10.20-)
神功皇后陵 see styles	jinguukougouryou / jingukogoryo じんぐうこうごうりょう	神功皇后陵 Custom Scroll (place-name) Jinguukougouryō
仲津姫皇后陵 see styles	nakatsuhimekougouryou / nakatsuhimekogoryo なかつひめこうごうりょう	仲津姫皇后陵 Custom Scroll (place-name) Nakatsuhimekougouryō
天皇皇后両陛下 see styles	tennoukougouryouheika / tennokogoryoheka てんのうこうごうりょうへいか	天皇皇后両陛下 Custom Scroll Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress
安閑天皇皇后陵 see styles	ankantennoukougouryou / ankantennokogoryo あんかんてんのうこうごうりょう	安閑天皇皇后陵 Custom Scroll (place-name) Ankantennoukougouryō
桓武天皇皇后陵 see styles	kanmutennoukougouryou / kanmutennokogoryo かんむてんのうこうごうりょう	桓武天皇皇后陵 Custom Scroll (place-name) Kanmutennoukougouryō

The following table may be helpful for those studying Chinese or Japanese...

Title	Characters	Romaji (Romanized Japanese)	Various forms of Romanized Chinese
Empress	皇后	kou gou / kougou / ko go	huáng hòu huang2 hou4 huang hou huanghou