機関|きかんkikan[1]atamadaka (head-high)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. nounengine
  2. nounagency; organisation; organization; institution; organ; body
    The three organizations are the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
  3. nounsystem; facility; facilities
Synonyms & antonyms
  • SynonymインスティテューションFormalFormal loanword for an institution or system, mostly in writing on social systems and organizations; rare in daily use — say 「機関」 or 「制度」 instead.
  • Synonym組織そしきNeutralNeutral word for a group formed for a common purpose or its structure, as in 「組織の一員」; stresses the membership, while 「機関」 stresses the unit performing functions.
  • Related機構きこうWrittenWritten/formal word for an organization's framework or a machine's inner mechanism, as in 「行政機構」; stresses the whole system, while 「機関」 is the unit performing functions.
  • Related施設しせつNeutralNeutral word for facilities built for a purpose, as in 「公共施設」, also welfare homes; stresses the physical place, while 「機関」 stresses the organization.

Use 「機関」 for an agency, office or engine. Pick 「機構」 for an organization's framework or a machine's structure, 「組織」 for a group defined by its members, 「施設」 for a physical facility. 「インスティテューション」 is a formal loanword, rare in everyday use.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 活動かつどうのしかけがあるもの。
  2. 水力すいりょく、火力かりょく、電力でんりょくなどの動力どうりょく、エネルギーを変換へんかんする装置そうち。
  3. 法人ほうじんや団体だんたいの意志いしを決定けっていしたり、代表だいひょうしたりする人ひとや組織そしき。
  4. あることを実施じっしする手段しゅだんとして設もうけた組織そしきや団体だんたい、機構きこう。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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