官
bureaucrat, the government, organ
Readings
On'yomi
- カン
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
官 centers on an official role within a structured system: a bureaucrat, the government as an institution, or a bodily organ as a functional unit within a larger body.
Most common words using 官
24 of 472- 長官ちょうかんN1
secretary (government); director; chief
- 警官けいかんN5
police officer; policeman; constable
- 官僚かんりょうN1
bureaucrat; government official; bureaucracy
- 警察官けいさつかんN5
police officer; policeman; policewoman
- 裁判官さいばんかんN2
judge
- 官房かんぼう
government secretariat
- 士官しかん
officer
- 教官きょうかん
teacher; instructor; professor
- 官邸かんていN1
official residence (e.g. of the prime minister)
- 検察官けんさつかん
public prosecutor
- 器官きかんN1
organ
- 高官こうかん
high official
- 次官じかん
vice-minister; undersecretary
- 官庁かんちょうN2
government office; government agency; authorities
- 神官しんかん
(Shinto) priest
- 官公庁かんこうちょう
government and municipal offices; public agencies
- 事務次官じむじかん
permanent vice-president; undersecretary; vice-minister
- 官民かんみん
government and people; government and private sector; public and private sector
- 代官だいかん
local governor (Edo period); local magistrate; bailiff
- 官報かんぽう
official daily gazette; government newsletter
- 官憲かんけん
officials; authorities
- 書記官しょきかん
secretary
- 官吏かんり
government official; public servant; civil servant
- 退官たいかん
retirement from office
Study
Etymology
官 combines 宀 (roof/building) with 㠯, which is thought to represent a mound or a group of people. Together they suggest an official building or a governing body, giving the idea of bureaucracy and government.
Meaning mnemonic
Under a roof 宀 sits a bureaucratic office 㠯, where officials manage government affairs like organs in a body.
Reading mnemonic
For カン, picture a government official carrying a can of official stamps: can -> カン, and the official stamps everything under the roof.