Used in the names of government ministries and departments, especially in Japan and other East Asian countries. Often appears as a suffix (e.g., 文部科学省).
外務省は霞が関にある。
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in Kasumigaseki.
The ministry in charge of environmental issues is the Ministry of the Environment.
彼は文部科学省に勤めている。
He works for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Refers specifically to a province-level administrative division in China. Not used for provinces in other countries.
四川省はパンダの生息地として知られている。
Sichuan Province is known as a habitat for pandas.
saving; conserving
Used as a prefix in compounds related to saving space, energy, labor, etc. Common in words like 省エネ (energy saving) and 省スペース (space-saving).
See also: 省スペース
省エネ家電を選ぶと電気代が安くなる。
Choosing energy-saving appliances reduces electricity bills.
このプリンターは省スペース設計だ。
This printer has a space-saving design.
He is from Sichuan Province.
The entire ministry is tackling this issue.
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.
省 is a higher-level ministry in the ritsuryō system, while 司 is a subordinate office.
庁 refers to an agency or office placed under a ministry, while 省 refers to the ministry itself, which is the higher-level body.
局 is a bureau or department within a ministry or agency, a smaller unit than 省.
omission; leaving out · abbreviation; shortening
Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Foreign Affairs; foreign ministry
Ministry of Finance
ministries and government offices; the authorities
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of Justice
energy conservation; energy saving
The kanji 省 originally meant 'to inspect' or 'to examine', and later extended to 'government office' and 'to reduce/omit'. The reading しょう is the on'yomi.
ministerial ordinance
the same ministry; the said ministry
energy conservation; energy saving
within the ministry; inside the department
labor saving; reduction of labor
ministry proper; head office; home office · this ministry; this department
each ministry; every ministry · each province (of China)
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
Ministry of Health and Welfare (former)
three ministries (ritsuryō system) · three departments (Tang China)
the eight ministries (ritsuryō system)
government ministries and agencies
a certain ministry; an unspecified ministry
government-operated; operated by a ministry
simplification of a kanji
interests of a ministry; departmental interests
omission; abbreviation · simplified character writing; stroke omission
Ministry of Railways line · Ministry of Railways electric train