office; official position; government post
Refers to a bureaucratic office or the role of an official. Often used in historical or formal contexts. 官 and 司 are the usual kanji.
He retired from his official post and returned to his hometown.
General term for a person who leads or is in charge of something. Can be used in various contexts, from government to organizations.
female religious officiant (Yaeyama Islands)
Only when written 司
Specific cultural term for a woman who officiates at religious ceremonies in the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa. Restricted to the kanji 司.
Who is the head of this department?
In the Yaeyama Islands, a woman called a tsukasa officiates at religious ceremonies.
Standard kanji for 'office' or 'official' sense; it is usual for sense 1.
Also common for 'office/official' and required for the Yaeyama religious officiant sense.
Rare variant; lists it but no specific sense restriction.
Rare variant; lists it but no specific sense restriction.
Rare variant; lists it but no specific sense restriction.
The historical derivation is uncertain. The word つかさ is native Japanese, and the various kanji spellings reflect different nuances of official roles or leadership.