宰相(さいしょう)

さいしょう
noun
prime minister, chancellor
formalliterarywrittenoccupation
1. prime minister, chancellor, chief minister
A formal or literary term for the head of government or chief minister. In modern Japanese, used as an elevated synonym for prime minister, or to refer to historical chancellors and chief ministers.
新(あたら)しい宰相(さいしょう)が就任(しゅうにん)した。
A new prime minister took office.
彼(かれ)は名(めい)宰相(さいしょう)として歴史(れきし)に名(な)を残(のこ)した。
He went down in history as a great statesman.
国(くに)の運命(うんめい)を左右(さゆう)する宰相(さいしょう)の決断(けつだん)に、国民(こくみん)の注目(ちゅうもく)が集(あつ)まった。
The nation's attention was focused on the prime minister's decision, which would determine the country's fate.

Usage

More literary and formal than 首相(しゅしょう) (prime minister) or 総理大臣(そうりだいじん). In modern journalism, 宰相(さいしょう) is sometimes used for stylistic variation or to lend gravitas. It also appears when discussing foreign heads of government, particularly historical ones.

Historically, the term referred to the highest-ranking minister in Chinese and Japanese imperial courts.

Common collocations

  • 名(めい)宰相(さいしょう): great/renowned statesman
  • 宰相(さいしょう)の器(うつわ): the caliber to be a leader
  • 鉄(てつ)の宰相(さいしょう): iron chancellor (often referring to Bismarck)
general
Added 2026.2.22 14:23 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
12500/12652_saishou