宰さい相しょう

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

Formal term for the head of government, often used in historical or official contexts. In modern Japan, 首相 is more common for the current prime minister, while 宰相 can carry a slightly literary or statesmanlike tone.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が宰さい相しょうになるfor someone to become prime minister
彼かれはついに宰さい相しょうになった。
He finally became prime minister.
宰さい相しょうを務つとめるto serve as prime minister
彼かれは十じゅう年ねんにわたり宰さい相しょうを務つとめた。
He served as prime minister for ten years.

Expressions

黒こく衣いの宰さい相しょうBuddhist priest who is also an important politician

Kanji

宰superintend, manager, rule
相inter-, mutual, together

Related words

首しゅ相しょうN4
首相 is the standard, everyday word for 'prime minister' in modern Japanese news, while 宰相 has a more formal, literary, or historical tone.
総そう理り大だい臣じんN2
総理大臣 is the full official Japanese government title for the prime minister, whereas 宰相 is a literary or historical way of referring to the office.
総そう理りN1
総理 is a common colloquial shortening of 総理大臣 used in everyday speech, while 宰相 sounds more formal or old-fashioned.

Don't confuse with

大だい統とう領りょうN4
大統領 refers to a president, the head of state in a presidential system, while 宰相 refers to a prime minister, the head of government under a parliamentary or cabinet system.
大だい臣じんN3
大臣 is a general term for a cabinet minister, while 宰相 specifically means the head of that cabinet, the prime minister.

Word family

伴ばん食しょく宰さい相しょう
incompetent cabinet minister; figurehead minister

Etymology

From Chinese 宰相 (zǎixiàng), historically referring to a chancellor or grand councilor in imperial China. Adopted into Japanese with the same kanji and a similar high-level governmental meaning.