宸 (chén) - Imperial palace & dwelling of the emperor

宸Tone 2

chén ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical: 宀

嫦晨

宸 · chén

Imperial palace;

dwelling of the emperor;

by extension, the throne or imperial authority;

used metaphorically for grandeur and majesty.

Imperial palacedwelling of the emperorby extension, the throne or imperial authority

Usage highlights

Imperial palaceImperial brush/edictImperial gardenImperial courtImperial authorityImperial favor

Synonyms

  • 宫— palace (general term)
  • 殿— hall, palace (often main hall)
  • 廷— court (imperial court)

Antonyms

  • 陋— humble, crude (antonym to grandeur)
  • 贱— lowly, base (antonym to imperial/noble)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The emperor's palace was called the Imperial Palace (宸居).
  • His calligraphy has an imperial grandeur (宸翰).
  • The imperial garden was magnificent (宸苑).
  • They discussed matters of the court (宸议).

Collocations

  • Imperial palace(宸居)
  • Imperial brush/edict(宸翰)
  • Imperial garden(宸苑)
  • Imperial court(宸庭)
  • Imperial authority(宸威)
  • Imperial favor(宸恩)

Idioms

  • The emperor's own handwriting(宸翰亲题)
  • The imperial countenance is pleased(宸颜大悦)
  • Issued by imperial decree(宸断颁发)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to the northern constellation, later extended to mean the dwelling of the celestial emperor, then the earthly emperor.
  • In imperial China, characters with '宸' were often reserved for matters relating to the emperor.
  • Modern usage retains the connotation of majesty, grandeur, and high status, making it popular in names.

FAQ