Related words 省 names a cabinet-level ministry (e.g., 文部科学省 ), whereas 庁 names an agency or bureau that is often subordinate to a ministry.
局 refers to a bureau, department, or station (e.g., 郵便局 ) and tends to denote a smaller or more specialized body than 庁 .
Don't confuse with 庁 refers to a government office or bureau, whereas 長 refers to the person who heads such an organization, so the two are easily mixed up in official titles.
庁 refers to an agency or office placed under a ministry, while 省 refers to the ministry itself, which is the higher-level body.
Word family· 36 Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department; Metropolitan Police Department
Japan Meteorological Agency; JMA
ministries and government offices; the authorities
prefectural office; prefectural government building
government office building
Show 19 more Show fewer government office; government agency; authorities
central government office; head office · this office
Fisheries Agency
branch office; subprefecture
the same agency; the same office
prefectural office of Osaka or Kyoto; prefectural government office
attending a government office; going to work (for a government official)
municipal office; city hall
government office; administrative headquarters
joining a government office; entering public service
government office; public office
island government office
state government office; provincial government office
within a government agency; inside a government building
abolition of a government agency; abolished government agency
visit to a government office
official reception hall
feudal domain headquarters
leaving one's office (government)
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Etymology The kanji 庁 originally referred to a government office or administrative building. It is used in modern Japanese primarily as a suffix in the names of government agencies.
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