使し節せつ

し

せ

つ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

envoy; delegate; mission

Refers to a person or group sent on a diplomatic or representative mission. Often used in formal contexts.

日本にほん政せい府ふは使し節せつを国こく連れんに派は遣けんした。
The Japanese government dispatched an envoy to the United Nations.
使し節せつ団だんは来らい月げつ、ワシントンを訪ほう問もんする予よ定ていだ。
The delegation is scheduled to visit Washington next month.

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Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に使し節せつを派は遣けんするto dispatch an envoy/mission to 〈place〉
政せい府ふは隣りん国ごくに使し節せつを派は遣けんした。
The government dispatched an envoy to the neighboring country.
〈国くに〉の使し節せつを迎むかえるto receive an envoy/delegation from 〈country〉
王おうは外がい国こくの使し節せつを宮きゅう殿でんで迎むかえた。
The king received the foreign envoy at the palace.
使し節せつとして〈場ば所しょ〉を訪おとずれるto visit 〈place〉 as an envoy/delegate
彼かれは使し節せつとして中ちゅう国ごくを訪おとずれた。
He visited China as an envoy.

Kanji

使use, send on a mission, order
節node, season, period

Related words

大たい使しN3
大使 means specifically 'ambassador', a formally appointed top diplomat, while 使節 is the broader term covering any envoy or delegation sent on an official mission.
特とく使し
特使 is a 'special envoy' sent for one particular task, whereas 使節 is the general word for any diplomatic representative or mission.
代だい表ひょうN3
代表 is a general-purpose word for 'representative' used in any setting (sports, business, politics), while 使節 is restricted to formal diplomatic or state missions.

Don't confuse with

使し者しゃ
使者 is someone who carries a message or errand for another person and can be used in everyday or historical contexts, while 使節 specifically denotes an officially appointed diplomatic representative or delegation.

Word family

使し節せつ団だん
mission; delegation
外がい交こう使し節せつ
diplomat; diplomatic envoy
外がい国こく使し節せつ
foreign delegation; diplomatic envoy; foreign mission
親しん善ぜん使し節せつ
goodwill ambassador; goodwill envoy; goodwill mission

Etymology

Compound of 使 (shi, 'use; envoy') and 節 (setsu, 'node; section; occasion'), originally referring to a person sent on a mission with a token of authority. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.