内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じん

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JLPTN2

Meanings

noun

Prime Minister; premier

Official title of the head of the Japanese cabinet government. Often abbreviated to 総理大臣 or 首相 in everyday usage.

内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんは国こっ会かい議ぎ員いんの中なかから指し名めいされる。
The Prime Minister is designated from among the members of the Diet.
新あたらしい内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんが就しゅう任にんした。
The new Prime Minister has taken office.

See all 13 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんに就しゅう任にんするfor someone to take office as Prime Minister
新あたらしい内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんに就しゅう任にんした。
He took office as the new Prime Minister.
内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんを務つとめるto serve as Prime Minister
彼かれは五ご年ねん間かん内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんを務つとめた。
He served as Prime Minister for five years.
内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんに任にん命めいされるto be appointed as Prime Minister
彼かれは天皇てんのうによって内ない閣かく総そう理り大だい臣じんに任にん命めいされた。
He was appointed Prime Minister by the Emperor.

Kanji

内inside, within, between
閣tower, tall building, palace
総general, whole, all
理logic, arrangement, reason
大large, big
臣retainer, subject

Related words

首しゅ相しょうN4
首相 is the common, everyday word for prime minister used in news and casual speech, while 内閣総理大臣 is the full formal constitutional title.
総そう理り大だい臣じんN2
総理大臣 is a shortened form of 内閣総理大臣 commonly used in news reports and conversation, referring to the same official.
総そう理りN1
総理 is an even more casual clipping of 内閣総理大臣, often used when addressing or referring to the prime minister directly.

Politeness

総そう理り大だい臣じんplainN2
内閣総理大臣 is the full official legal title, while 総理大臣 is the everyday abbreviated form of the same position.
総そう理りplainN1
内閣総理大臣 is the full, formal official title, while 総理 is the shortened form used in everyday speech and news.

Don't confuse with

国こく務む大だい臣じん
国務大臣 refers to an ordinary cabinet minister, whereas 内閣総理大臣 is the specific title of the Prime Minister who heads the cabinet.

Built from

内ない閣かく+総そう理り大だい臣じん

Etymology

Compound of 内閣 (cabinet), 総理 (general management), and 大臣 (minister). The term was adopted in the Meiji era as the official title for the head of the cabinet government.