次じ官かん

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

A senior government official ranking just below a minister; used in Japanese ministries and agencies.

〈人ひと〉が次じ官かんに就しゅう任にんするfor someone to take office as vice-minister
彼かれは先せん月げつ、財ざい務む省しょうの次じ官かんに就しゅう任にんした。
He was appointed vice-minister of finance last month.
次じ官かんを務つとめるto serve as vice-minister
彼かの女じょは三さん年ねん間かん、外がい務む省しょうの次じ官かんを務つとめた。
She served as vice-minister of foreign affairs for three years.
〈人ひと〉を次じ官かんに任にん命めいするto appoint someone as vice-minister
首しゅ相しょうは新あたらしい次じ官かんを任にん命めいした。
The prime minister appointed a new vice-minister.

大輔だゆう
次官 is the modern term for a vice-minister, while 大輔 was the specific title used in the early Meiji-period government.
事じ務む次じ官かん
次官 is the general term for a vice-minister, while 事務次官 specifically denotes the top career civil servant rather than a political appointee.

大だい臣じんN3
大臣 is a full cabinet minister, while 次官 is the deputy who serves just below the minister, so learners often mix up their rank.
副ふく大だい臣じん
副大臣 is a political vice-minister appointment, whereas 次官 usually refers to the top career bureaucrat in a ministry, and the two titles are easily confused.
次じ長ちょうN1
次長 is a deputy manager in a company or general government division, while 次官 is specifically the title for a vice-minister in a government ministry.
長ちょう官かんN1
次官 is the vice-minister, the deputy just below a 大臣 or 長官, so learners often mix up the two ranks.

Compound of 次 (next, second) and 官 (government official), literally 'second official'.