Xishi (c. 450 BC), famous Chinese beauty, foremost of the four legendary beauties 四大美女[si4 da4 mei3 nu:3], given by King Gou Jian 勾踐|勾践[Gou1 Jian4] of Yue as concubine to King of Wu as part of a successful plan to destroy Wu
周公
Zhōu gōng
Duke of Zhou (11th c. BC), son of King Wen of Zhou 周文王[Zhou1 Wen2 wang2], played an important role as regent in founding the Western Zhou 西周[Xi1 Zhou1], and is also known as the "God of Dreams"
Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc
孙权
Sūn Quán
Sun Quan (reigned 222-252), southern warlord and king of state of Wu 吳|吴[Wu2] in the Three Kingdoms period
饕餮
tāo tiè
ferocious mythological animal, the fifth son of the dragon king / zoomorphic mask motif, found on Shang and Zhou ritual bronzes / gluttonous / sumptuous (banquet)
龙宫
lóng gōng
palace of the Dragon King at the bottom of the Eastern Sea
太宗
Tài zōng
posthumous name given to second emperor of a dynasty / King Taejong of Joseon Korea (1367-1422), reigned 1400-1418
阎罗
Yán luó
Yama, King of Hell / translation of Sanskrit: Yama Raja
将帅
jiàng shuài
commander-in-chief, the equivalent of king in Chinese chess
齐天大圣
Qí tiān Dà shèng
Great Sage the Equal of Heaven, self-proclaimed title of the Monkey King Sun Wukong 孫悟空|孙悟空[Sun1 Wu4 kong1] in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4]
Daji (c. 11th century BC), concubine of the last Shang dynasty king Zhou Xin 紂辛|纣辛[Zhou4 Xin1]
勾践
Gōu Jiàn
King Gou Jian of Yue (c. 470 BC), sometimes considered one of the Five Hegemons 春秋五霸
世宗
Shì zōng
Sejong the Great or Sejong Daewang (1397-1450), reigned 1418-1450 as fourth king of Joseon or Chosun dynasty, in whose reign the hangeul alphabet was invented
曹丕
Cáo Pī
Cao Pi (187-226), second son of Cao Cao 曹操, king then emperor of Cao Wei 曹魏 / from 220, ruled as Emperor Wen 魏文帝, also a noted calligrapher
大闹天宫
Dà nào Tiān gōng
Monkey Wreaks Havoc in Heaven, story about the Monkey King Sun Wukong 孫悟空|孙悟空[Sun1 Wu4 kong1] from the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记
Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc
毛遂自荐
Máo Suì zì jiàn
Mao Sui recommends himself (idiom) / to offer one's services (in the style of Mao Sui offering his services to king of Chu 楚 / of the Warring states)
阎罗王
Yán luó Wáng
Yama, King of Hell / translation of Sanskrit: Yama Raja
姜子牙
Jiāng Zǐ yá
Jiang Ziya (c. 1100 BC, dates of birth and death unknown), partly mythical sage advisor to King Wen of Zhou 周文王[Zhou1 Wen2 wang2] and purported author of “Six Secret Strategic Teachings&rdquo / 六韜|六韬[Liu4 tao1], one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1]
逼宫
bī gōng
to force the king or emperor to abdicate
黄精
huáng jīng
King Solomon's seal (plant of genus Polygonatum)
陵寝
líng qǐn
tomb (of king or emperor)
勤王
qín wáng
to serve the king diligently / to save the country in times of danger / to send troops to rescue the king
闯王
Chuǎng Wáng
Chuangwang or Roaming King, adopted name of late Ming peasant rebel leader Li Zicheng 李自成 / (1605-1645)
刘安
Liú An1
Liu An (179-122 BC), King of Huainan under the Western Han, ordered the writing of the 淮南子[Huai2 nan2 zi5]
褒姒
Bāo sì
Baosi, concubine of King You of Zhou 周幽王[Zhou1 You1 wang2] and one of the famous Chinese beauties
格萨尔
Gé sà ěr
King Gesar, hero of a Tibetan and Mongolian epic cycle
to collapse / to fall into ruins / death of king or emperor / demise
王顾左右而言他
wáng gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā
the king looked left and right and then talked of other things / to digress from the topic of discussion (idiom)
虾兵蟹将
xiā bīng xiè jiàng
shrimp soldiers and crab generals (in mythology or popular fiction, the army of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea) / useless troops (idiom)
曹操
Cáo Cāo
Cao Cao (155-220), famous statesman and general at the end of Han, noted poet and calligrapher, later warlord, founder and first king of Cao Wei 曹魏, father of Emperor Cao Pi 曹丕 / the main villain of novel the Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义
Herod the Great (73 BC - 4 BC), Roman-appointed king of Judea (37-4 BC)
猴王
Hóu wáng
Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4]
李尔王
Lǐ ěr wáng
King Lear, 1605 tragedy by William Shakespeare 莎士比亞|莎士比亚
图坦卡门
tú tǎn kǎ mén
Tutankhamen, king of ancient Egypt 1333-1323 BC
亚哈
Yà hā
Ahab (9th c. BC), King of Israel, son of Omri and husband of Jezebel, prominent figure in 1 Kings 16-22
孙悟空
Sūn Wù kōng
Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] / Son Goku, the main character in Dragon Ball 七龍珠|七龙珠[Qi1 long2 zhu1]
阎王爷
Yán wáng yé
same as 閻羅王|阎罗王 / Yama, King of Hell / translation of Sanskrit: Yama Raja
Jing Ke (-227 BC), celebrated in verse and fiction as would-be assassin of King Ying Zheng of Qin 秦嬴政 / (later the First Emperor 秦始皇)
穆罕默德六世
Mù hǎn mò dé liù shì
King Mohammed VI (King of Morocco)
希西家
Xī xī jiā
Hezekiah or Ezekias (740-687 BC), twelfth king of Judah (Judaism)
燕太子丹
Yān Tài zǐ Dān
Prince Dan of Yan (-226 BC), commissioned the attempted assassination of King Ying Zheng of Qin 秦嬴政[Qin2 Ying2 Zheng4] (later the First Emperor 秦始皇[Qin2 Shi3 huang2]) by Jing Ke 荊軻|荆轲[Jing1 Ke1] in 227 BC
约西亚
Yuē xī yà
Josiah or Yoshiyahu (649-609 BC), a king of Judah (Judaism)
周武王
Zhōu Wǔ wáng
King Wu of Zhou (-1043), personal name Ji Fa 姬發|姬发, reigned 1046-1043 BC as first king of Western Zhou dynasty 1046-1043 BC
世宗大王
Shì zōng Dà wáng
Sejong the Great or Sejong Daewang (1397-1450), reigned 1418-1450 as fourth king of Joseon or Chosun dynasty, in whose reign the hangeul alphabet was invented
亚撒
Yà sā
Asa (?-870 BC), third king of Judah and fifth king of the House of David (Judaism)
亨利五世
Hēng lì Wǔ shì
Henry V (1387-1422), English warrior king, victor of Agincourt / History of Henry V by William Shakespeare 莎士比亞|莎士比亚[Sha1 shi4 bi3 ya4]
俄底浦斯
E2 dǐ pǔ sī
Oedipus, legendary king of Thebes who killed his father and married his mother
刺芹菇
cì qín gū
king trumpet mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii)
史籀篇
Shǐ zhòu piān
Shizhoupian, early school primer in great seal script 大篆[da4 zhuan4], attributed to King Xuan of Zhou 周宣王[Zhou1 Xuan1 wang2] but probably dating from c. 500 BC
吴王阖庐
Wú wáng Hé Lú
King Helu of Wu (-496 BC, reigned 514-496 BC) / also called 吳王闔閭|吴王阖闾
吴王阖闾
Wú wáng Hé Lu:2
King Helu of Wu (-496 BC, reigned 514-496 BC), sometimes considered one of the Five Hegemons 春秋五霸 / also called 吳王闔廬|吴王阖庐
周宣王
Zhōu Xuān wáng
King Xuan, eleventh King of Zhou, reigned (828-782 BC)
周文王
Zhōu Wén wáng
King Wen of Zhou state (c. 1152-1056 BC), reigned c. 1099-1056 BC as king of Zhou state, leading figure in building the subsequent Western Zhou dynasty, father of King Wu of Zhou 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] the first Zhou dynasty king
周武王姬发
Zhōu Wǔ wáng Jī Fā
King Wu of Zhou, personal name Ji Fa, reigned 1046-1043 BC as first king of Western Zhou dynasty 西周[Xi1 Zhou1] 1046-771 BC
周穆王
Zhōu Mù wáng
King Mu, fifth king of Zhou, said to have lived to 105 and reigned 976-922 BC or 1001-947 BC, rich in associated mythology
商纣王
Shāng Zhòu wáng
King Zhou of Shang (11th century BC), notorious as a cruel tyrant
在位时代
zài wèi shí dài
reign (of a king, emperor etc)
太子丹
Tài zǐ Dān
Prince Dan of Yan (-226 BC), commissioned the attempted assassination of King Ying Zheng of Qin 秦嬴政 / (later the First Emperor 秦始皇[Qin2 Shi3 huang2]) by Jing Ke 荊軻|荆轲[Jing1 Ke1] in 227 BC
嫪毐
Lào Aǐ
Lao Ai (-238 BC), man of Qin famous for his giant penis / in fiction, bogus eunuch and the consort of king Ying Zheng's mother lady Zhao
jiàng