陛 means “majesty, steps of the throne”

へい · hei

Also: highness, steps (of throne)

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヘイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 6 · 10 strokes

The story

Steps (阝) of earth (土) laid side by side (比): the stairs up to a throne. The old explanation: no one addressed the ruler directly, only the attendants below the steps, so 陛下, "below the steps", came to mean "Your Majesty".

Used in 陛下 (heika, Your Majesty), 天皇陛下 (tennouheika, His Majesty the Emperor), and 両陛下 (ryouheika, Their Majesties)

More from Emperors & Nobles

• 姫 princess
• 后 empress
• 伯 count
• 陵 imperial tomb
• 妃 queen consort
• 勅 imperial order
• 詔 imperial edict
• 戴 be crowned with
• 侯 marquis
• 朕 imperial we
• 謁 audience (with royalty)
• 爵 peerage

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.