Japanese word

長

Pronunciation

Romajichō

Meaning

  • nounchief

Example

村の長が話します。mura no chō ga hana shi ma su

The village chief speaks.

Illustration for 長 (chief)

More examples

長に相談してから、祭りの日を決めます。chō ni sō dan shi te ka ra matsu ri no hi o ki me ma su

After consulting the chief, we decide the date of the festival.

Core concept

Marks the person who stands at the top of a group and bears responsibility for it.

Common phrases

  • 村の長mura no chō

    village chief

  • 長に選ばれるchō ni era ba re ru

    be chosen as chief

  • 長を務めるchō o tsuto me ru

    serve as chief

Similar words

リーダーrīdā: The person who directs a group and takes responsibility for its activities.
頭atama: The person who serves as the head of a group in a casual or traditional setting.

Definition in Japanese

集団や組織の上に立ち、全体を取りまとめる人。shū dan ya so shiki no ue ni ta chi zen tai o to ri ma to me ru hito

Word origin

The kanji 長 (chō, "long; chief") has a Sino-Japanese reading from Chinese and extends from the idea of being senior or foremost to the meaning "chief."

Usage tips

  • English uses "chief" in titles such as police chief, while 長 (chō) commonly identifies the head of a group or organization in Japanese.

Other meanings

  • headnoun
  • leadernoun

Word lists with this word