Meaning
Imperial Steps / Palace Stairs / Majesty (Honorific)
- 陛下 — His/Her Majesty
- 天皇陛下 — His Majesty the Emperor
- 皇后陛下 — Her Majesty the Empress
The left radical ⻖ (こざとへん) often relates to land or structures. 陛 originally referred to stairways in palaces — symbolizing a rise to meet authority. Today, it’s almost exclusively seen in honorifics for royalty, especially in the phrase 陛下.
