官かん界かい

か

ん

か

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

bureaucracy; officialdom; government circles

Refers to the world of government officials and civil servants as a social sphere or institution. Often used in news and formal contexts.

彼かれは官かん界かいに入はいってから、ずっとこの省しょうで働はたらいている。
He has been working in this ministry ever since he entered the bureaucracy.
官かん界かいの慣かん習しゅうには、民みん間かん企き業ぎょうとは違ちがう独どく特とくのものがある。
The customs of officialdom have unique aspects that differ from those of private companies.

Usage patterns

官かん界かいに入はいるto enter government service/officialdom
大だい学がくを卒そつ業ぎょうしてすぐに官かん界かいに入はいった。
He entered officialdom right after graduating from university.
官かん界かいに身みを置おくto be part of officialdom/government circles
彼かれは長なが年ねん官かん界かいに身みを置おいてきた。
He has spent many years in government circles.

Kanji

官bureaucrat, the government, organ
界world, boundary

Related words

官かん僚りょうN1
官僚 refers to individual bureaucrats or the administrative system itself, while 官界 refers to the broader social world that those bureaucrats belong to.
政せい界かいN1
政界 is the world of politicians and elections, whereas 官界 is the world of civil servants and government offices.

Opposites

民みん間かんN2
民間 refers to the private sector outside government, the direct opposite of 官界, the world of government officials.

Don't confuse with

政せい界かいN1
政界 and 官界 look and sound similar but 政界 refers to elected politicians and party politics while 官界 refers to career bureaucrats and government officialdom.

Etymology

Compound of 官 (government official) and 界 (world, sphere). The reading かんかい is the standard on'yomi combination.