公爵
kōshaku[ko̞ːɕa̠kɯ̟]
The English word "duke" is translated into Japanese as 公爵 (kōshaku).
公爵 is used to refer to a male holder of a dukedom.
Meaning: male holder of a dukedom (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kōshaku
Did you know?
- The word for 'duke' contains the character 爵, which refers to a specific type of ancient ritual wine vessel used in ceremonial settings.
- The word 公爵 is a 'learned borrowing' from Chinese, meaning it was imported as a written concept rather than evolving naturally through spoken language.
- In modern Japan, you will rarely hear 公爵 used in daily conversation, as the legal peerage system was abolished in 1947 following World War II.
Examples in context
- 名門の継承者となった彼は、公爵の位を受け継ぐこととなりました。He became the heir of a prestigious family and would inherit the title of duke.
- 彼は公爵です。Kare wa koushaku desu.He is a duke.
- その公爵はとても有名です。Sono koushaku wa totemo yuumei desu.That duke is very famous.
- 物語には一人の公爵が登場します。Monogatari ni wa hitori no koushaku ga toujou shimasu.A duke appears in the story.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical fantasy novel.
- 結衣 Yuiこの物語の主人公は公爵なの？Kono monogatari no shujinkou wa koushaku nano?Is the protagonist of this story a duke?
- 陽太 Yotaそうだよ、彼はとても強い公爵なんだ。Sou da yo, kare wa totemo tsuyoi koushaku nanda.That's right, he is a very powerful duke.
- 結衣 Yui公爵の生活は大変そうね。Koushaku no seikatsu wa taihen sou ne.A duke's life seems difficult.
- 陽太 Yotaでも、すごく華やかだよ。Demo, sugoku hanayaka da yo.But it is very glamorous.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 公爵, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 公爵, CC BY-SA 4.0.
