“Imperial Order” in Japanese is 勅, read choku, imashi, mikotonori (ちょく, いまし, みことのり). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 勅命 (imperial order).
What does 勅 mean?
| Kanji | 勅 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Imperial Order |
| Readings | ちょく, いまし, みことのり |
| Grade | Master (高手 · secondary school) |
| Curriculum | Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2) |
| Example | 勅命 (imperial order) |
勅 is read choku (ちょく) or imashi (いまし) or mikotonori (みことのり) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: