public meeting; public assembly
Refers to an official gathering open to the public, such as a town hall meeting or a public hearing.
市の公会で新しい条例について話し合われた。
The new ordinance was discussed at the city's public meeting.
catechism
Compound of 公 (public) and 会 (meeting). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for official gatherings.