官僚(かんりょう)

かんりょう
noun
bureaucrat, government official
See also: 完了(かんりょう) (completion (完了))
1. bureaucrat, government official
A person who works in government administration, especially high-ranking officials.
官僚(かんりょう)になる。
To become a bureaucrat.
高級(こうきゅう)官僚(かんりょう)
High-ranking government official.
彼(かれ)は長年(ながねん)官僚(かんりょう)として働(はたら)いた後(あと)、政治家(せいじか)に転身(てんしん)した。
After working as a bureaucrat for many years, he switched careers to become a politician.
2. bureaucracy
The system of government officials and their practices.
官僚(かんりょう)主義(しゅぎ)が問題(もんだい)だ。
Bureaucratism is the problem.
官僚(かんりょう)制度(せいど)を改革(かいかく)する。
To reform the bureaucratic system.
官僚(かんりょう)的(てき)な手続(てつづ)きが多(おお)すぎて、申請(しんせい)に時間(じかん)がかかった。
There were too many bureaucratic procedures, so the application took a long time.

官僚(かんりょう) refers to government officials, especially career administrators in central government ministries. It can also refer to the bureaucratic system itself.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 官僚(かんりょう)制度(せいど): bureaucratic system
  • 官僚(かんりょう)主義(しゅぎ): bureaucratism (often negative)
  • 高級(こうきゅう)官僚(かんりょう): high-ranking official
  • 官僚(かんりょう)機構(きこう): bureaucratic apparatus
  • 官僚(かんりょう)的(てき): bureaucratic (na-adjective)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 公務員(こうむいん): civil servant — broader term covering all government employees
  • 役人(やくにん): government official — slightly informal, sometimes negative
  • 官僚(かんりょう) specifically implies elite career officials in national ministries

NUANCE:
Often carries a negative connotation when used critically, suggesting rigid procedures, inflexibility, or self-serving behavior (官僚(かんりょう)主義(しゅぎ)).

Related Words

Synonym: 公務員(こうむいん) (civil servant (broader))
general
Added 2026.1.11 17:14 · Revised 2026.4.6 16:33
02500/02780_kanryou