主権
shuken[ɕɨ̥kẽ̞ɴ]
The Japanese word for sovereignty is 主権 (shuken).
主権 refers to the state of a nation or polity being able to control its own resources, make laws independently and govern itself without the coercion or concurrence of other polities. Common political and legal terms include 国民主権, meaning 'popular sovereignty' or 'the sovereignty of the people' and 主権侵害, meaning 'infringement of sovereignty'.
Meaning: of a nation or other polity: the state of being able to control resources, make laws independently, and otherwise govern itself without the coercion or concurrence of other polities (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji 主, meaning 'master' or 'lord' and 権, meaning 'authority', 'power' or 'right'.
How do you pronounce it?
shuken
Did you know?
- The character 主 in 主権 can be read as 'nushi', a term often used in folklore to describe the 'spirit' or 'deity' that possesses a specific natural landmark like a mountain or river.
- The phrase 国民主権 is a cornerstone of the post-war Japanese Constitution, marking a radical shift from the previous era where sovereignty resided solely with the Emperor.
- While 主権 refers to the power of a state, the related word 主権を握る (shuken o nigiru) literally translates to 'to grasp sovereignty', a common idiom used when a person or group takes control of a situation.
Examples in context
- 憲法記念日は、憲法の基本的精神である、国民主権、基本的人権の尊重、平和主義を再確認するための日です。This is the day on which the Constitution's fundamental spirit, the sovereignty of the people, respect for fundamental human rights, and pacifism, are all reaffirmed.This sentence is useful for reaffirming the fundamental spirit of a constitution, such as popular sovereignty, using 主権.Tatoeba #1019806 by yurusu, translation #1019808 by yurusu
- 「この国家の主権は国民に属する」The sovereignty of this nation belongs to its people.
- 「国連は主権国家同士の関係を尊重する」The United Nations respects the relationships between sovereign states.
- 主権を持つことは非常に重要です。shuken o motsu koto wa hijō ni jūyō desu.Having sovereignty is extremely important.
Example conversation
Two university students are discussing a political science lecture.
- 蓮 Ren今日の講義は主権についてでしたね。kyō no kōgi wa shuken ni tsuite deshita ne.Today's lecture was about sovereignty, wasn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、とても難しい内容でした。hai, totemo muzukashii naiyō deshita.Yes, it was very difficult content.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは理解できましたか？himari-san wa rikai dekimashita ka?Did you understand it, Himari?
- 陽葵 Himari半分くらいしか分かりませんでした。hanbun kurai shika wakarimasen deshita.I only understood about half of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sovereignty” translations and entries 主権, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
