議会|ぎかいgikai[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nouncongress; parliament; diet; legislative assembly
   議会ぎかいはさいごにけんかになった。↗

   The argument ended in a fight.

• Synonym国会こっかいNeutralRefers only to the national legislature; in Japan, the bicameral Diet. 「議会」 also covers prefectural and municipal assemblies.
• Synonym立法府りっぽうふWrittenWritten term for the legislature in the separation-of-powers sense, opposed to the executive and judiciary; for the actual body, say 「議会」 or 「国会」.
• SynonymコングレスWrittenLoanword for a national congress, especially the US Congress. Japanese or local assemblies are normally called 「議会」.
• SynonymパーラメントWrittenLoanword for a parliament, especially the British-style one; rare in everyday use — 「議会」 is normally enough.
• Related立法機関りっぽうきかんWrittenStresses the lawmaking function; found mainly in legal and political writing. Use 「議会」 for an actual assembly.
• Related評議会ひょうぎかいWrittenMostly in writing: a council or board that deliberates and consults on a matter, not a legislature; related to 「議会」 only as a deliberative body.
• Related協議会きょうぎかいNeutralA body or meeting set up to consult on some matter; it has no legislative power and matches 「議会」 only as a group that deliberates together.
• Related参事会さんじかいWrittenMostly written: a council that discusses and decides important matters, usually set up within an organization; not an elected legislature.
• Related審議会しんぎかいFormalFormal: a deliberative council under a government agency or local body that studies specific issues and gives opinions; it makes no laws and cannot replace 「議会」.

Use 「議会」 for a legislative assembly at any level, national or local. For the national legislature alone, say 「国会」. When speaking of the legislature as a branch of government, 「立法府」 or 「立法機関」 fits. 「審議会」 and 「協議会」 are deliberative or advisory bodies with no lawmaking power, so they cannot replace 「議会」.

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

1. 選挙せんきょなどによって選えらばれた議員ぎいんによって構成こうせいされ、法律ほうりつなどを制定せいていする会議かいぎ、機関きかん。立法府りっぽうふ。日本にっぽんにおいては国会こっかい、都道府県とどうふけん議会ぎかい、市町村議しちょうそんぎ会かいなどがこれにあたる。