王冠
ōkan[o̞ːkã̠ɴ]
The Japanese word for crown is 王冠 (ōkan). If unsure, use 王冠. Wiktionary also lists クラウン (kuraun).
Meaning: royal headdress (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 王冠 | ōkan | [o̞ːkã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| クラウン | kuraun |
王冠 refers specifically to a crown worn by a king or queen. A more general term, 冠, can be used to describe crowns in a broader sense, such as those worn during traditional ceremonies.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 王冠 is composed of the kanji 王, meaning king and 冠, meaning crown or headgear.
Which one should you use?
王冠 is the standard Japanese word for a royal crown. In contrast, the loanword version クラウン is frequently used in specific contexts such as jewelry, brand names or pop culture.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the action of wearing a crown, use the verb 被る (kaburu), which is the specific verb used for items worn on the head.
How do you pronounce it?
ōkan
Did you know?
- The kanji 冠 is sometimes used as a 'crown' radical, appearing on top of other characters to modify their meaning or sound.
- The loanword クラウン is famously used as the name of a long-running luxury sedan by Toyota, making the word associated with cars for many Japanese speakers.
- If you are talking about a 'crown' of a tooth in a dental context, a Japanese person would not use 王冠 but would instead use the katakana loanword クラウン.
Examples in context
- 王冠を被る者The wearer of the crownThis sentence demonstrates the use of 王冠 in the context of a wearer.
- 王冠を被ることは、国王としての権威を示す手段です。Wearing a crown is a way to showcase one's authority as a king.
- 子供たちはてんとう虫の冠を楽しそうにかぶっていた。The children happily wore ladybug crowns.
- 大阪の祭りでは金冠が見事に飾られていました。Beautifully decorated crowns were displayed at the festival in Osaka.
- その王冠はとても美しいです。Sono okan wa totemo utsukushii desu.That crown is very beautiful.
- 博物館に金色の王冠があります。Hakubutsukan ni kin'iro no okan ga arimasu.There is a golden crown in the museum.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are looking at a picture book about history.
- 健太 Kentaこの王冠は誰が使っていたの？Kono ōkan wa dare ga tsukatte ita no?Who used this crown?
- 美咲 Misaki昔のフランスの王様だよ。Mukashi no Furansu no ōsama da yo.It belonged to an old king of France.
- 健太 Kenta宝石がたくさんついていてすごいね。Hōseki ga takusan tsuite ite sugoi ne.It's amazing that it has so many jewels.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に豪華なデザインだよね。Hontō ni gōka na dezain da yo ne.It really is a luxurious design.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crown” translations and entries 王冠, クラウン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
