The Meaning of kanchō [官庁] In Japanese

官庁
かんちょう
Romaji: kanchō N3

What does 官庁 mean?

Translation and Meaning

government offices, government agencies, ministries

Definition

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.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

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.

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.

Composition

  • 官: official, government authority;
  • 庁: office or bureau;

Usage

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.
💡 Tips
Imagine a government official wearing a hat stamped 官 standing atop a tall building labeled 庁; together they symbolize official offices.

Variations

  • 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

Example Phrases

  • 官庁へ行って申請書類を提出してすぐに確認した。
    Kanchō e itte shinsei shorui o teishutsu shite sugu ni kakunin shita.
    I went to the government office, submitted the application documents, and checked them immediately.
    Lista:
    • 官庁へ (kanchō e) – to the government office
    • 行って (itte) – and went
    • 申請書類を (shinsei shorui o) – the application documents
    • 提出して (teishutsu shite) – submitted
    • すぐに (sugu ni) – immediately
    • 確認した (kakunin shita) – checked
    The formal noun 「官庁」 means government office; use 「」 to indicate the word. In casual speech you would say 「役所」. The sentence uses the particle へ to mark the destination and the て-form to connect sequential actions.
官庁