侯 means “marquis, feudal lord”

こう · kou

Also: lord, daimyo

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コウ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 9 strokes

The story

A person (亻) and an arrow (矢) under a hanging cloth: 侯 once named the archery target of court contests, then the lords who shot at it. It ranks just below duke in 侯爵, marquis, and 諸侯 are the feudal lords of a realm.

Used in 侯爵 (koushaku, marquis), 諸侯 (shokou, feudal lords), and 王侯貴族 (oukoukizoku, royalty and aristocracy)

More from Emperors & Nobles

• 朕 imperial we
• 謁 audience (with royalty)
• 爵 peerage
• 皇 emperor
• 貴 precious
• 帝 emperor
• 陛 majesty
• 姫 princess
• 后 empress
• 伯 count
• 陵 imperial tomb
• 妃 queen consort

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