Word
官庁
Meaning in Englishgovernment office, authorities
Animated kanji stroke order
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)