立憲

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 立憲 (りっけん) is a noun for constitutional government, in which state power is organized and limited by a constitution.
• Basic usage: It appears when studying constitutional politics or a government committing itself to constitutional rule.
  • 授業で立憲政治の基本を学んだ。 — In class, we learned the basics of constitutional government.
  • 新しい政府は立憲を掲げ、権力を憲法で制限した。 — The new government embraced constitutional rule and limited its power through a constitution.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Government under a constitution
  • 立憲 focuses not merely on a constitution existing but on state power being governed and limited by it.