天皇
てんのう · tennou · JLPT N2 · noun
japan
👑 天 (heaven) + 皇 (sovereign) = sovereign of heaven, the Emperor of Japan
Tennou joins 天 (heaven, sky) and 皇 (august ruler). The title has been used for Japan's monarch since around the 7th century.
天 — 一 (one/sky) above 大 (big person)
Originally a pictograph of a person (大) with an emphasized head, representing what is above — the sky or heavens. The top stroke evolved into 一, symbolizing the vast expanse overhead. From 'sky' it extended to mean 'day,' 'heaven,' and 'nature.'