司つかさどる

つ

か

さ

ど

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

be in charge of; manage; administer

Used when a person or entity has official responsibility for a function, department, or process. Often formal or organizational.

彼かれは人じん事じ部ぶを司つかさどっている。
He is in charge of the human resources department.
この部ぶ署しょは経けい理りを

司つかさど

る

。

This section manages the accounting.

2

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

rule; govern; control

Used for ruling a country, governing a people, or having sovereign control. More elevated and less common in everyday speech than sense 1.

かつて王おうがこの国くにを司つかさどっていた。
A king once ruled this country.

Written forms

司つかさどるUsage53%
Standard kanji spelling for this verb.
つかさどるUsage42%
掌つかさどるUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
司つかさどるUsage2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not recommended for active use.
主つかさどるUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not recommended for active use.

Kanji

司director, official, govt office
掌palm of hand, rule, administer
主lord, chief, master

Similar words

管かん理りする
管理する is the everyday word for managing or administering something. 司る is more formal and often implies a higher-level or official responsibility.
統とう治ちする
統治する specifically means to govern or rule a nation. 司る can be used in this sense but is less common and more literary.

Etymology

The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 司 is conventionally associated with governing or administering, and the reading つかさどる is a native Japanese verb.