官庁
Meaning in Englishgovernment office, authorities
Animated kanji stroke order
Related sentences
Related sentences
There are no published items in this section yet.
Word context
What it means
官庁 means the formal government offices or ministries that administer public affairs in Japan; a term used in official or formal contexts to refer collectively to central or regional government agencies.
Main meanings
- Official bureaucracy reference: refers to government ministries and public offices as a body rather than individual agencies.
- Context and tone: standard in formal discourse, legal texts, or journalism; conveys authority and formality.
- Not suitable for private organizations or casual speech; usage signals public administration context.
How to use it
Used in formal government writing and media to refer to government offices at national or local levels; typical contexts include official statements, policy discussions, and bureaucratic reporting; in casual conversation the term is uncommon and may sound stiff.
Variants and close terms
- 省庁 (しょうちょう, shōchō): central government ministries;
- 官署 (かんしょ, kansho): synonym for government offices in some contexts;
- 行政機関 (ぎょうせいきかん, gyōseikikan): administrative agencies;
- 公的機関 (こうてききかん, kōteki kikan): public institutions
Composition
- 官: official, government authority;
- 庁: office or bureau;
Etymology
官 (kan) meaning government or official; 庁 (chō) meaning office or bureau; combined reading kanchō yields the noun for government offices; this is an on'yomi compound reflecting Sino-Japanese influence.
Word class
noun (名詞)