領 事(りょうじ)

りょうじ

noun

consul

1. consul

A government official appointed to reside in a foreign city to protect the interests and assist citizens of the appointing country. Operates from a consulate.

領事(りょうじ)に相談(そうだん)した。

I consulted the consul.

日本(にほん)領事館(りょうじかん)でビザを申請(しんせい)した。

I applied for a visa at the Japanese consulate.

総(そう)領事(りょうじ)が現地(げんち)の日本人(にほんじん)コミュニティーと交流(こうりゅう)する場(ば)が設(もう)けられた。

An event was organized for the consul general to interact with the local Japanese community.

領事(りょうじ) is a government official stationed in a foreign city to assist citizens of their home country and handle diplomatic matters.

Key distinction

領事(りょうじ): the consul (the person)
領事館(りょうじかん): the consulate (the building/office)

Common collocations

総(そう)領事(りょうじ): consul general (senior consul in a city)
名誉(めいよ)領事(りょうじ): honorary consul
領事(りょうじ)業務(ぎょうむ): consular services
在(ざい)〜日本(にほん)領事館(りょうじかん): Japanese consulate in ~

CONTRAST WITH 大使(たいし):

領事(りょうじ): consul — handles practical matters (visas, passports, citizen assistance)
大使(たいし): ambassador — the top diplomatic representative in a country
領事館(りょうじかん): consulate — often in major cities beyond the capital
大使館(たいしかん): embassy — in the capital city

Related Words

Related: 大使(たいし) (ambassador)

Related: 公使(こうし) (minister (diplomatic rank))

Compare: 大使館(たいしかん) (embassy)

Compare: 特命全権大使(とくめいぜんけんたいし) (ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary)

general

Added 2026.3.5 18:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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