長官かみ

also: かん · こう

か

み

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

archaichistorical term

Historical term for the highest of the four administrative ranks in the ritsuryō system. Archaic in modern usage; encountered mainly in historical texts or discussions of ancient Japanese government.

Kanji

長long, leader, superior
官bureaucrat, the government, organ

Related words

守かみ
長官 is a general term for a chief or director usable in many administrative contexts, while 守 is the specific historical ritsuryō title for a provincial director.

Written forms

長官
- かみ
  Standard kanji form for the historical title. The reading かみ is the most common for this meaning.
- かん
  Alternate reading, less common. May appear in some historical contexts.
- こう
  Rare reading, possibly used in specific compound names or older texts.
かん
こう

Etymology

From 長 (chief) + 官 (official). The reading かみ is the native Japanese reading (kun'yomi) for the kanji 長, while かん and こう are Sino-Japanese readings (on'yomi). The term is specific to the ritsuryō system and is not used in modern government.