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善吏 (ぜんり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

善ぜん吏り

Meanings

1

noun

honest government official

rare term

Rare term for an upright or incorruptible public servant; mostly encountered in historical or literary contexts.

善ぜん吏りと呼よばれた役やく人にんは、決けっして賄わい賂ろを受うけ取とらなかった。
The official called an honest government official never accepted bribes.

Kanji

善virtuous, good, goodness
吏officer, an official

Similar words

能のう吏り
能吏 means a capable or efficient official, focusing on skill rather than moral integrity.
廉れん吏り
廉吏 also means an honest, incorruptible official, but is slightly more common and may appear in modern discussions of clean governance.

Etymology

Compound of 善 (good, virtuous) and 吏 (official, functionary). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is rare and appears mainly in classical or formal writing.