A1 noun Neutral #3,778 most common

役人

yakunin /jakɯɲiɴ/

A government official or a public servant who works in a public office. This term refers to people responsible for administrative duties in local or national government departments.

Examples

3 of 5
1

私の父は町の役人です。

My father is a town official.

2

役人として、公平に判断しなければなりません。

As a government official, I must judge fairly.

3

あの役人、説明が分かりにくいね。

That official's explanation is hard to understand, isn't it?

Word Family

Noun
役人
Related
役所
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Memory Tip

Think of 'Yaku' (role/duty) + 'Nin' (person). A person with a specific public duty.

Quick Quiz

父は市役所で働く___です。

Correct!

The correct answer is: 役人

Examples

1

私の父は町の役人です。

everyday

My father is a town official.

2

役人として、公平に判断しなければなりません。

formal

As a government official, I must judge fairly.

3

あの役人、説明が分かりにくいね。

informal

That official's explanation is hard to understand, isn't it?

4

江戸時代の役人の役割を研究する。

academic

I will study the roles of officials during the Edo period.

5

このプロジェクトについて、市の役人と相談します。

business

I will consult with city officials about this project.

Word Family

Noun
役人
Related
役所

Common Collocations

役人になる to become a government official
市の役人 a city official
高級役人 a high-ranking official
役人の仕事 an official's job
地元の役人 a local official

Common Phrases

お役所仕事

bureaucratic red tape (literally: government office work)

役人根性

bureaucratic attitude

役人の位

official rank

Often Confused With

役人 vs 公務員

Yakunin is a more traditional/general term, while Koumuin is the modern legal and technical term for civil servant.

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Usage Notes

While 'yakunin' is widely understood, in modern formal contexts or when talking about your own job, 'koumuin' (civil servant) is more common and polite.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Do not use 'yakunin' for elected politicians (seijika) or leaders like the Prime Minister; it specifically refers to administrative employees.

💡

Memory Tip

Think of 'Yaku' (role/duty) + 'Nin' (person). A person with a specific public duty.

📖

Word Origin

From the Japanese 'yaku' (duty/service) and 'nin' (person/human).

Grammar Patterns

Used with the counter for people '-nin' (e.g., 三人の役人) Can be followed by the particle 'として' (as a...)
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Cultural Context

In Japan, 'yakunin' can sometimes carry a nuance of being stiff or strictly following rules (bureaucracy).

Quick Quiz

父は市役所で働く___です。

Correct!

The correct answer is: 役人

Related Words

顕著

C1

Refers to something that is remarkable, striking, or highly conspicuous. It is used to describe trends, differences, or characteristics that are clearly visible and cannot be ignored, often in analytical or formal contexts.

妥当

C1

Describes a decision, price, or conclusion that is appropriate, fair, and logically sound within a given context. It suggests that something is reasonable and justifiable based on common sense or established facts.

普遍

C1

Universality; the quality of being applicable to all cases or distributed everywhere within a particular scope. It refers to truths, values, or phenomena that remain valid regardless of time, place, or individual circumstances.

概念

C1

A general idea or abstract principle that represents the essential nature or characteristics of a category or phenomenon. It refers to the mental framework or understanding used to classify and interpret things in the world.

本質

C1

The core essence or fundamental nature of something that makes it what it is. It refers to the underlying reality or truth of a situation or object, often contrasted with its superficial appearance or secondary characteristics.

推移

C1

Refers to the gradual transition, movement, or change of a situation or state over time. It is primarily used to describe how a specific condition, value, or relationship progresses through different stages.

帰属

C1

Kizoku refers to the state of belonging to a specific group, organization, or category, or the legal attribution of rights, property, or responsibility. It is frequently used in psychological contexts regarding identity and in legal contexts regarding ownership or jurisdiction.

派生

C1

To derive or originate from a primary source, where a new element branches out from a foundational root. It is commonly used in technical contexts like linguistics, law, and science to describe how sub-concepts or variations develop from an original entity.

統合

C1

The act of combining or integrating multiple separate parts, systems, or organizations into a single, unified whole. It implies creating a cohesive structure where the individual components work together harmoniously or function as one entity.

齟齬

C1

A formal term describing a discrepancy, inconsistency, or lack of coordination between two or more elements such as opinions, facts, or plans. It specifically highlights a situation where things fail to mesh or align as they should, often leading to misunderstandings or errors.

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