課長(かちょう)

課長(かちょう) is a section manager, an important first management position in Japanese companies.

Corporate hierarchy

• 係長(かかりちょう): team leader
• 課長(かちょう): section chief
• 次長(じちょう): deputy department head
• 部長(ぶちょう): department head

Usage as title

Used after names: 田中(たなか)課長(かちょう) (Section Chief Tanaka). When addressing directly, use 課長(かちょう) alone or with さん in some companies.

Common expressions

• 課長(かちょう)に昇進(しょうしん)する: to be promoted to section chief
• 課長(かちょう)代理(だいり): acting section chief
• 課長(かちょう)補佐(ほさ): assistant section chief

Usage

課(か) (section) is a subdivision of 部(ぶ) (department).