Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
役人 (yakunin) Japanese meaning: government official | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
しょ
の
役やく
人にん
と
し
て
働はたら
い
て
いる
。
He works as an official at the city hall.
The government officials discussed the new policy.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 が 役やく 人にん になる to become a government official
He became a government official after graduating from university.
役やく 人にん が 〈 物もの 〉 を 発はっ 行こう する for officials to issue (a document, permit, etc.)
The officials issued a new permit.
役やく 人にん に 〈 物もの 〉 を 渡わた す to hand something (e.g. a bribe) to an official
He bribed the official to get the permit.
Related words· 10 公務員 is the broad official term covering all public servants (teachers, police, etc.), while 役人 more narrowly suggests administrative or bureaucratic officials.
官僚 refers specifically to high-ranking, elite bureaucrats in central ministries, whereas 役人 can describe government workers at any level.
役人 is the general, modern word for a government official, while 下吏 is a historical term specifically for a low-ranking one.
役人 is the common modern word for a government official, while 官 (つかさ) carries an older, more formal or historical nuance for the same kind of post.
Show 6 more 役人 is the everyday, sometimes slightly critical word for a government official, whereas 官吏 is an old, formal legal term for the same role.
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.
役人 broadly means any government official or bureaucrat, whereas 官憲 carries a stronger nuance of legal authority and enforcement.
役人 is a plain, broad word for any government official, whereas 高官 implies a senior or high-level position.
Word family· 7 petty official; minor bureaucrat
bureaucratic airs; official manner
Edo-period jail warden; jailer
Edo-period town official; chōnin official
Etymology Compound of 役 (role, duty, office) and 人 (person). The reading やくにん follows standard on'yomi readings for both characters.
役人 is a casual, sometimes slightly negative word for any government official, whereas 事務官 is the formal job title used in official contexts.
役人 is a general, sometimes slightly informal word for any government official, whereas 係官 stresses the specific duty or section that person is responsible for.
bureaucratic mentality; bureaucratism