Word
所属
Meaning in Englishattached to, belong to
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 所属 mean? It denotes being affiliated with or belonging to a group, organization, or place; the state of being a member of something, and the relation of an individual or entity to a larger organization.
Main meanings
- Affiliation or membership in an organization, institution, or group
- Belonging to a specific department, division, or office within a larger body
- Used in formal contexts to indicate organizational ties, often with 所属する
How to use it
Used as a noun to denote affiliation, belonging, or membership; commonly appears in formal writing, HR, government, academia, and media, and the related verb 所属する means to belong to or be affiliated with.
Variants and close terms
- 属する (shozuru) — to belong
- 配属 (haizoku) — assignment to a department or post
- 所属先 (shozoku-saki) — the organization one belongs to
- 脱退 (dattai) — withdrawal from an affiliation
Composition
- 所: place, location; to reside
- 属: belong, to be attached to; to be subordinate to
- Combined meaning: affiliation or belonging to a group or organization
Origin
Derived from a Sino-Japanese kanji compound; used historically in administrative and bureaucratic contexts across Japanese society to indicate membership or association with an organization or location.
Word class
Noun (suru-verb)