government; the bureaucracy; government service
Refers to the government as an institution, the civil service, or the bureaucratic apparatus. Often used in compounds like 官僚 (bureaucrat) or 官庁 (government office).
He resigned from his government post for health reasons.
He relies too much on the government.
Cooperation between the public and private sectors is necessary.
government post; government official
Refers to a position in government service or the person holding it. Often used in formal contexts or compounds like 高官 (high official) or 任官 (appointment to a post).
He resigned his government post.
The government official was arrested for corruption.
He moved from government service to the private sector and joined an IT company.
役人 is the everyday word for a government official, while 官 is more formal and mostly appears in compounds like 高官 or 任官.
公務員 is the modern legal term for a civil servant, whereas 官 is an older, more literary word for the same idea.
官 (government) and 館 (building, hall) share the same reading かん but have completely unrelated meanings.
官 (government) and 管 (tube, pipe, also in 管理) look visually similar and share the reading かん, but differ by the 竹 radical and meaning.
宮 and 官 share the same 宀 radical and a similar overall shape, but 宮 means palace while 官 means a government official or bodily organ.
secretary (government); director; chief
police officer; policeman; constable
bureaucrat; government official; bureaucracy
police officer
judge
government secretariat; executive office
military officer; commissioned officer
instructor; teacher; professor
official residence
The kanji 官 originally depicted a roof over a person, symbolizing an official building or authority. The reading かん is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi.
the senses; sensory faculties · sensuality; carnality
public prosecutor; prosecutor
organ
high official; senior government official
adjutant; aide-de-camp
superior officer; commanding officer
vice-minister; undersecretary
government office; government agency; authorities
Shinto priest
government and municipal offices; public agencies
examiner; investigator; inquisitor; agent
private secretary
public and private sectors; government and private sector; government and people
government service; entering government service · finding a new lord to serve (of a ronin)
official gazette; government newsletter · official telegram
general; admiral; flag officer
non-commissioned officer; petty officer
government-made; government-manufactured
officials; authorities
plasterer
government forces; loyalist army