shogun

American  

[shoh-guhn, -guhn] / ˈʃoʊ gən, -gʌn /

Or shōgun

noun

Japanese History.

1. the title applied to the chief military commanders from about the 8th century a.d. to the end of the 12th century, then applied to the hereditary officials who governed Japan, with the emperor as nominal ruler, until 1868, when the shogunate was terminated and the ruling power was returned to the emperor.

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shogun British  

/ ˈʃəʊˌɡuːn /

noun

1. (from 794 _ad ) a chief military commander

2. (from about 1192 to 1867) any of a line of hereditary military dictators who relegated the emperors to a position of purely theoretical supremacy

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Other Word Forms

• shogunal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shogun

1605–15; < Japanese shōgun, earlier shaũgun < Middle Chinese, equivalent, to Chinese jiāngjūn literally, lead the army

Compare meaning

How does shogun compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• shogun vs. emperor

Explanation

In Japanese history, a military ruler was known as a shogun. The country was controlled by a series of shoguns from the 12th century until 1868. Shogun is a shortened form of the Japanese Sei-i Taishōgun, which translates to "barbarian-subduing commander-in-chief." The title was first given to military leaders who led successful campaigns. Minamoto Yoritomo was the first true shogun, gaining control of Japan in 1185. The position was officially hereditary, but over the centuries of shogun rule, several different clans held the title. The shogunate era came to an end with Japan's political revolution in 1867 and 68.

Example Sentences

"That's, I think, the biggest impact we've seen within Japan," Markan said, while international shows like "Shogun" have helped "introduce a new generation of people to samurai culture and Japanese swords".

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

He beat Roger Moore and Albert Finney to be cast as John Blackthorn - a captive English navigator in 17th Century Japan - in Shogun.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2025

Meanwhile, Shogun, which was heavily rewarded at the recent Golden Globe and Emmy Awards, scored the most TV nominations with five, while The Bear has four.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2025

Jon Jon Briones takes on the role of the Reciter as well as the Shogun and Emperor, moving gracefully from narration to enactment.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2024

Most of the rebellious servants of the Ashikaga Shogun were said to have been highly-accomplished literati.

From An Introduction to the History of Japan by Hara, Katsuro