Japanese Conversation · Level 79
76 words
Japanese word
大臣
Pronunciation
Romajidaijin
Meaning
- nounminister
Example
新しい大臣が決まりました。atara shi i dai jin ga ki ma ri ma shi ta
A new minister has been chosen.
More examples
その大臣は海外の代表と会談しました。so no dai jin wa kai gai no dai hyō to kai dan shi ma shi ta
The minister held talks with an overseas representative.
Core concept
Describes a senior official who leads a government ministry and helps direct national administration.
Common phrases
大臣になるdai jin ni na ru
become a minister
大臣を務めるdai jin o tsuto me ru
serve as a minister
Similar words
閣僚kakuryō: A member of the cabinet who takes part in national government decisions.
Definition in Japanese
国の行政を担う各省の長として内閣を構成する高官。kuni no gyō sei o nina u kaku shō no chō to shi te nai kaku o kō sei su ru kō kan
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese word 大臣 (daijin) combines 大 (dai, "great") with 臣 (jin, "retainer"), originally expressing the idea of a chief official.
Usage tips
- In English, minister can also mean a religious leader, but 大臣 (daijin) refers to a government official in Japanese.