How to say "government" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 政府せいふnounThe default word for 'government' as an institution, such as a national or local government. Use this when talking about what the government does, announces, or decides.政府は倒された。↗The government was overthrown.
- 政治せいじnounCovers 'government' in the sense of politics or political affairs as an activity and field, rather than the governing body itself. It is the word for discussing politics generally.
- 行政ぎょうせいnounRefers to 'government' as the executive or administrative side of the state — running public services and applying the law — as opposed to lawmaking or politics.
- 統治とうちnoun, suru verb, transitive verbMeans 'government' in the sense of governing or ruling — the act of controlling and administering a country. It is closer to 'rule' or 'governance' than to a government as a body.
- 政まつりごとnounA formal or literary term for rule, government, or administration. It is seldom the word you want in everyday speech; it appears mainly in set expressions and written or elevated language.
Use 政府 for a government as an institution, 政治 for politics as an activity, 行政 for administration, 統治 for governing or rule, and 政 only in formal or literary contexts.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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