government office
庁 centers on an official administrative building or office, specifically a government office.
庁 is the modern simplified form of 廳. The older form combines 广 (building) with 聽, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of an official hearing place. The modern 丁 shape is a simplification and should not be treated as the original historical component.
The outer 广 is a building with a roof, and inside is 丁, which looks like a street sign or a nail. Picture a government office building with a sign hanging from a nail: that's the place for official business.
For チョウ, imagine a long line at the government office, and the chief officer named Chou comes out to help: Chou -> チョウ.
government office; agency; board
Metropolitan Police Department (Tokyo)
(Japanese) Meteorological Agency; JMA
ministries and government offices; the authorities
prefectural office
government office building
National Tax Agency (Japan)
National Police Agency; NPA
government office; government agency; authorities
Imperial Household Agency
government and municipal offices; public agencies
Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Office)
Agency for Cultural Affairs
Patent Office; Patent Agency
Japan Coast Guard; JCG
Public Prosecutors Office
(Japanese) Fisheries Agency
Fire and Disaster Management Agency
Japan Defense Agency (became Ministry of Defense in January 2007)
Social Insurance Agency
prefectural office (of Osaka or Kyoto)
Agency of Natural Resources and Energy
Environment Agency
Forestry Agency
government office
Science and Technology Agency (1956-2001)
Director General of Hokkaido Development Agency
(Japanese) National Land Agency
Economic Planning Agency (1955-2001)
Economic Planning Agency (1955-2001)
Financial Services Agency; FSA
(Japanese) Defense Facilities Administration Agency (Defence)
food agency