総そう監かん

そ

う

か

ん

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

inspector general; commissioner

A high-ranking supervisory title in military, police, or administrative organizations. Often used as a specific rank or position name.

彼かれは警けい察さつの総そう監かんに任にん命めいされた。
He was appointed commissioner of the police.
軍ぐんの総そう監かんが視し察さつに来くる。
The inspector general of the army is coming for an inspection.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈組そ織しき〉の総そう監かんに就しゅう任にんするto take office as inspector general of an organization
彼かれは警けい視し庁ちょうの総そう監かんに就しゅう任にんした。
He took office as commissioner general of the Metropolitan Police Department.
総そう監かんを務つとめるto serve as inspector general
彼かの女じょは十じゅう年ねん間かん、総そう監かんを務つとめた。
She served as inspector general for ten years.

Kanji

総general, whole, all
監oversee, official, govt office

Related words

総そう裁さいN1
総裁 refers to a president or director-general of an organization (often political or corporate), while 総監 is specifically an inspector general or commissioner with supervisory authority over a force or agency.
監かん察さつ官かん
監察官 is a general term for an inspector or ombudsman, whereas 総監 denotes a single, higher-ranking chief inspector or commissioner.
長ちょう官かんN1
長官 is the head of a government agency or department, while 総監 specifically names a supervisory rank in military, police, or administrative hierarchies.

Don't confuse with

総そう監かん督とく
総監督 means a general director or supervisor (e.g. of a film or sports team), not the official rank of inspector general that 総監 denotes.

Word family

法ほう務む総そう監かん
judge advocate general; JAG
軍ぐん医い総そう監かん
surgeon general

Etymology

Compound of 総 (そう, 'overall, general') and 監 (かん, 'oversee, inspect'). The term is a modern title, likely coined during the Meiji period for military and governmental ranks.