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Kotomora

署

signature, govt office, police station

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ショ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

署 centers on an official place where records are kept and signed: a government office or police station. The signature sense comes from the act of signing official documents in such a setting.

Most common words using 署

20 of 53
  • 署しょ
    N2

    station (esp. a police station); office (e.g. tax office)

  • 署名しょめい
    N3

    signature; autograph

  • 部署ぶしょ
    N1

    one's post; one's station; department; bureau; section

  • 署長しょちょう

    chief (of police); head (of office)

  • 税務署ぜいむしょ
    N2

    tax office

  • 消防署しょうぼうしょ
    N2

    fire station

  • 署員しょいん

    staff member; station employee; official

  • 同署どうしょ

    the (above-mentioned) authorities; police (from said station)

  • 分署ぶんしょ

    substation; branch office

  • 労基署ろうきしょ

    Labour Standards Inspection Office (abbr)

  • 本署ほんしょ

    police headquarters; main office; this office

  • 警察署けいさつしょ

    police station

  • 営林署えいりんしょ

    forest service field office

  • 支署ししょ

    substation

  • 副署ふくしょ

    countersignature

  • インターネット署名インターネットしょめい

    online petition

  • ディジタル署名ディジタルしょめい

    digital signature

  • デジタル署名デジタルしょめい

    digital signature

  • デジタル署名アルゴリズムデジタルしょめいアルゴリズム

    digital signature algorithm

  • ネット署名ネットしょめい

    online petition

Explore all words using 署 →

Study

Etymology

署 combines 罒 (net) and 者 (person/thing), originally suggesting a place where things are arranged or recorded. The modern meanings of office and signature developed from the idea of an official place for documentation.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 罒 looks like a net or grid, like the organized shelves of an office. The bottom 者 suggests a person or thing. Picture a person working at a desk in a government office, signing documents under a grid-like organizational chart.

Reading mnemonic

For ショ, imagine a police officer showing their badge at the station: show -> ショ, and the officer is at the 署.