当局|とうきょくtoukyoku[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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- nounauthorities; relevant authorities; authorities concerned
- nounthis office
- Synonym政府せいふNeutralThe governing organ of the state or a locality, or the cabinet specifically; 「当局」 broadly means whoever wields public power, often with a modifier like 「警察当局」.
- Synonym省庁しょうちょうNeutralCollectively, the central ministries and agencies; 「当局」 means the official side in general, not limited to central organs, and can also refer to those in charge.
- Synonym官庁かんちょうNeutralState administrative organs and government offices; a legal/administrative term. 「当局」 is broader, and often pairs with words like 「捜査」 and 「警察」.
- Synonym官憲かんけんWrittenWritten style, for the police and other officials, with an oppressive, high-handed nuance; 「当局」 is more neutral.
- Related行政府ぎょうせいふWrittenThe executive branch under separation of powers; an institutional, system-level term. 「当局」 broadly covers anyone exercising public power, not just the executive.
- Related官府かんぷWrittenAn old word for government offices; in modern Japanese say 「当局」 or 「政府」 instead.
- Relatedその筋そのすじCasualA colloquial euphemism for the people concerned or the police, as in 「その筋の話」; 「当局」 is more formal.
- Antonym民間みんかんNeutralAntonym: on the official-versus-private divide, the opposite of 「当局」, meaning the private, non-official side.
Use 「当局」 for whoever wields public power, usually with a modifier like 「警察当局」 or 「中国当局」. For the state's governing organ say 「政府」, for administrative organs 「官庁」; 「その筋」 is a colloquial euphemism, and the antonym is 「民間」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


