公こう使し

こ

う

し

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

minister; envoy; diplomat below ambassador

A diplomatic rank below ambassador, such as minister of legation, deputy chief of mission, or chargé d'affaires. Used in formal diplomatic contexts.

とう

京きょう

に

赴ふ

任にん

し

た

。

He was posted to Tokyo as minister to Japan.

大たい使しが不ふ在ざいの間あいだ、公こう使しが代だい理りを務つとめた。

While the ambassador was away, the minister acted as chargé d'affaires.

〈場ば所しょ〉に公こう使しを派は遣けんするto send a minister/envoy to (a country)
政せい府ふはその国くにに公こう使しを派は遣けんした。
The government sent a minister to that country.
〈人ひと〉が公こう使しに任にん命めいされるto be appointed as minister/envoy
彼かれはフランス駐ちゅう在ざいの公こう使しに任にん命めいされた。
He was appointed minister stationed in France.

大たい使しN3
大使 (ambassador) outranks 公使 (minister), which is the diplomatic post directly below it.
外がい交こう官かんN2
外交官 is the general word for any diplomat, while 公使 names a specific rank just below ambassador.
特とく使し
公使 is a formal diplomatic rank below ambassador stationed abroad, while 特使 is a mission-specific envoy without a fixed rank.

大たい使しN3
大使 is a full ambassador, the top diplomatic rank, while 公使 is a minister or envoy ranked just below an ambassador.

From 公 (public, official) + 使 (envoy, messenger). A Sino-Japanese term for a diplomatic minister.