Meanings
phrase
- Traditional announcement made when a new monarch becomes the ruler after the previous one passed away.
- idiomaticSaid when someone has stepped down or something is succeeded by someone or something new that now has the most control, is the most popular, etc.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 先王已逝，吾王萬歲！ /先王已逝, 吾王万岁！
- 先王已逝，吾王萬歲！ /先王已逝Translations
- 吾王万岁！Translations
Czech král je mrtev, ať žije král!
- král je mrtev, ať žije král!Translations
Dutch de koning is dood, leve de koning!
- de koning is dood, leve de koning!Translations
French le roi est mort, vive le roi!
- le roi est mort, vive le roi!Translations
Greek ο βασιλιάς πέθανε, ζήτω ο βασιλιάς
- ο βασιλιάς πέθανε, ζήτω ο βασιλιάς (o vasiliás péthane, zíto o vasiliás)Translations
Hebrew המלך מת, יחי המלך!
- המלך מת, יחי המלך! (hamélekh mét, y'khí hamélekh!)Translations
Indonesian raja telah mati, panjang umur raja!
- raja telah mati, panjang umur raja!Translations
Italian il re è morto, lunga vita al re!
- il re è morto, lunga vita al re!Translations
Japanese 国王崩御、国王万歳!
- 国王崩御、国王万歳!Translations
Korean 왕이 죽었다, 국왕 만세!
- 왕이 죽었다, 국왕 만세! (wang'i jugeotda, gugwang manse!)Translations
Polish umarł król, niech żyje król
- umarł król, niech żyje królTranslations
Portuguese rei morto, rei posto
- rei morto, rei postoTranslations
Russian коро́ль у́мер, да здра́вствует коро́ль
- коро́ль у́мер, да здра́вствует коро́ль (korólʹ úmer, da zdrávstvujet korólʹ)Translations
Spanish a rey muerto, rey puesto, el rey ha muerto, viva el rey
- a rey muerto, rey puestoTranslations
- el rey ha muerto, viva el reyTranslations
Thai พระมหากษัตริย์เสด็จสวรรคต ขอพระมหากษัตริย์ทรงพระเจริญ
- พระมหากษัตริย์เสด็จสวรรคต ขอพระมหากษัตริย์ทรงพระเจริญTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
the king is dead, long live the king. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20king%20is%20dead%2C%20long%20live%20the%20king
MLA
“the king is dead, long live the king.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20king%20is%20dead%2C%20long%20live%20the%20king. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the king is dead, long live the king,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20king%20is%20dead%2C%20long%20live%20the%20king.
Source: the king is dead, long live the king on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.