# little emperor

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/little-emperor
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

In contemporary China, a child with no siblings who is regarded as overly protected and spoiled. (Seen as belonging to a generation which is a product of China's "one-child" policy.)

## Examples

- The boy acts like a little emperor at home.
- Because his parents and grandparents give him everything he wants, he has become a little emperor.
- Sociologists often analyze how the one-child policy fostered the rise of the little emperor, a generation defined by intense parental focus and high expectations.

## Origin

A calque of Chinese 小皇帝 (xiǎohuángdì).

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