noun
petty official; low-ranking bureaucrat
A somewhat literary or formal term for a minor government official, often with a nuance of being narrow-minded or overly bureaucratic.
彼は俗吏に過ぎないが、役所では幅を利かせている。
He is nothing more than a petty official, but he throws his weight around at the office.
俗吏の対応に苛立つ市民も少なくない。
Not a few citizens are irritated by the responses of petty officials.