宰
superintend, manager, rule
Readings
On'yomi
- サイ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- ただ
Meaning
宰 centers on authoritative control: superintending, managing, or ruling over affairs or people.
Most common words using 宰
- 主宰しゅさい
chairmanship; presidency; management
- 宰相さいしょう
prime minister; premier; chancellor
- 大宰府だざいふ
dazaifu (under the ritsuryō system, governmental office with jurisdiction over Kyushu, Iki and Tsushima)
- 主宰者しゅさいしゃ
president; chairman
- 伴食宰相ばんしょくさいしょう
incompetent cabinet minister; figurehead minister
- 冢宰ちょうさい
Minister of State (Zhou dynasty China)
- 厨宰ちゅうさい
chef; head cook
- 大宰おおみこともち
government official working for the daizaifu
- 大宰帥おおみこともちのかみ
director of the dazaifu (ritsuryō system)
- 宰領さいりょう
supervision; superintendence; management; supervisor
- 総括主宰者そうかつしゅさいしゃ
(electoral) campaign manager
- 黒衣の宰相こくいのさいしょう
Buddhist priest who is also an important politician
Study
Etymology
宰 combines 宀 (roof/building) with 辛, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to a sharp tool or authority. The character suggests someone who exercises control within a domain.
Meaning mnemonic
Under a roof 宀, a sharp tool 辛 represents the authority of a manager who superintends and rules.
Reading mnemonic
For サイ, imagine a manager sighing as they superintend a busy office: sigh -> サイ.