官庁

かんちょう

government office, authorities

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word '官庁' (かんちょう) refers to government offices or official authorities. It is commonly used in formal contexts when discussing administrative bodies or public institutions.

Common Contexts

You will often hear '官庁' in conversations about submitting documents, official procedures, or legal matters involving government agencies. It implies an official, bureaucratic setting.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 官庁に提出する: to submit to a government office
  • 官庁の手続き: government office procedures
  • 官庁の承認: approval from authorities

These collocations highlight the formal and administrative nature of the word.

Register and Nuance

'官庁' is a formal term and is rarely used in casual conversation. It is appropriate in written language, official announcements, and formal speech.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '官庁' with '役所' (やくしょ), which also means government office but is more general and used in everyday contexts. Use '官庁' when referring to official government agencies in formal or legal contexts.

Example Sentences

かんちょうにしょるいをていしゅつしなければならない。

I have to submit the documents to the government office.

かんちょうのてつづきはじかんがかかることがおおい。

Procedures at government offices often take a long time.

あたらしいほうりつはかんちょうのしょうにんをえてからしこうされる。

The new law will be enforced after approval from the authorities.