Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 が 総そう 裁さい に 就しゅう 任にん する for someone to take office as president/director general
He will take office as Governor of the Bank of Japan next month.
総そう 裁さい の 任にん 期き the term of office of the president/director general
The term of office for the president is set at three years.
〈 人ひと 〉 が 総そう 裁さい 選せん に 出しゅつ 馬ば する for someone to run in a party leadership election
Three candidates ran in the party leadership election.
総そう 裁さい を 選せん 出しゅつ する to elect/select a president or director general
A new party leader was elected through a vote of party members.
Related words· 8 社長 is the everyday word for a company president or CEO, while 総裁 is reserved for heads of political parties, central banks, or major institutions and carries a more formal, institutional weight.
会長 usually refers to a chairman who holds a more ceremonial or board-level position, whereas 総裁 implies active executive leadership, especially in political or financial organizations.
理事長 is the director general of a foundation, hospital, or nonprofit board, while 総裁 is used for higher-profile institutions like political parties or central banks.
総裁 typically refers to the president or head of a political party or large organization, while 総帥 emphasizes supreme, often military-flavored command over a group.
Show 4 more Show fewer 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.
総裁 is a formal title (like 'president') that some parties use for their head, whereas 党首 is a generic descriptive term usable for any party's leader.
総裁 is used for the head of a central bank or large public organization (e.g. 日本銀行総裁 ), whereas 頭取 refers to the head of an ordinary commercial bank.
総裁 is used for the head of certain corporations, parties, or special institutions (like the Bank of Japan), whereas 長官 specifically heads a government agency or bureau.
Word family party president; party leader
vice president
presidential election
governor of a central bank
prime minister and party president
governor of a central bank
Etymology Composed of 総 (overall, general) and 裁 (judge, decide), suggesting a person with overall decision-making authority. The term was adopted in modern Japanese for high-level organizational heads.
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