lower part; bottom section; substructure
Refers to the lower portion of a physical object, a page or screen, a diagram, a structure, and similar things. In compounds such as 下部構造 it can mean the substructure or underlying lower structure.
A menu appears at the bottom of the screen.
There is a search button at the bottom of the screen.
The lower part of the building was flooded.
subordinate office; lower-level organization
Administrative or organizational use, most naturally seen in compounds such as 下部組織 and 下部機関, meaning a body lower in a hierarchy.
This organization has subordinate branches across the country.
subordinate; loyal servant; faithful servant
Rare or old-fashioned use for a person in a low or serving position. Modern Japanese normally uses other words such as 部下 or しもべ depending on the context.
In an older sense, 下部 (kabu) can refer to someone who serves a master.
This department is placed under the head office as a subordinate unit.
The pillars supporting the lower part of the bridge have deteriorated.
下部 is a general term for the lower part of something, while 下層 specifically implies a layered structure with distinct strata.
下部 refers concretely to the lower part of a physical object, while 下方 is broader and can describe an abstract direction or region as well.
部下 is the everyday word for a subordinate person under someone's supervision, whereas 下部 in this sense is a rare, old-fashioned word for a servant or subordinate.
A Sino-Japanese compound of 下, meaning lower or below, and 部, meaning part, section, or department. The spelling directly reflects the main sense of a lower part or lower section.