How to say "bureaucracy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 官僚かんりょうnounA word for the official as an individual — a bureaucrat or government official — and, by extension, the officials collectively: the bureaucracy as a body. Typical context: news and debate about ministries and their officials.
- 官界かんかいnounRefers to officialdom as a sphere — the world of government officials taken as a whole — rather than to any individual. Typical context: political news and commentary; for a single official, 官僚 is the word.
Use 官僚 for a bureaucrat or government official and for the bureaucracy as a body of officials; use 官界 for officialdom as a sphere or world — the bureaucratic establishment — rather than for individuals.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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