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道Nihongo Path
殿

殿·palace, lord

On-yomi
デンテン
Kun-yomi
とのどの

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

13 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
宮殿きゅうでんpalace
殿様とのさまfeudal lord
御殿ごてんpalace, stately mansion
殿下でんかHis/Her Highness

Example sentences

  1. パリの近くで有名な宮殿を訪れた。

    パリのちかくでゆうめいなきゅうでんをおとずれた。

    We visited a famous palace near Paris.

  2. 時代劇で殿様が家来を呼びつけた。

    じだいげきでとのさまがけらいをよびつけた。

    In the period drama, the lord summoned his retainers.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 御殿 as ごでん instead of ごてん
  • Using 〜殿 (どの) in email as if it were politer than 〜様 — it is formal but impersonal, used on documents rather than to people

Memory aid

Picture it

The 殳 on the right is a hand holding a weapon: picture a great hall with armed guards posted at the door — the lord's palace.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 殿 mean?