皇后 huánghòu empress
empress; imperial consort
How to remember 皇后: 皇 royal + 后 back = empress.
Characters
How it is used
- The empress (emperor's principal wife) - 册封皇后 (cèfēng huánghòu) to invest someone as empress.
- Specifically the reigning emperor's consort/queen, not a ruling empress (that's 女皇 nǚhuáng).
- Note 后 here means consort; don't read it as 'after'. Chess queen is also 皇后.