軍事

• Reading: ぐんじ
• Romaji: gunji
• Kanji breakdown: 軍 (gun) — military, army; 事 (ji) — affairs, matters
• Pronunciation: /ɡɯ.ɴ.dʑi/

Meaning

Military affairs; matters relating to the military. Used as a noun and a modifying prefix for military-related topics.

Functions primarily as a noun modifier in compounds such as 軍事力 (military power), 軍事基地 (military base), 軍事介入 (military intervention), and 軍事費 (defence expenditure). It is a neutral, technical term used in journalism, policy, and academic writing. Contrasts with 民事 (civil affairs).

Examples

1. 政府は軍事費の増額を来年度予算に盛り込む方針を示した。 The government indicated its plan to include an increase in military spending in next year's budget.
2. 他国への軍事介入の是非をめぐり、与野党間で激論が交わされた。 Fierce debate erupted between the ruling and opposition parties over the merits of military intervention in other countries.
3. 軍事技術の民間転用が経済成長を後押しすることもある。 The civilian application of military technology can sometimes drive economic growth.

Usage Guide

Context: defence policy, journalism, international relations

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 軍 (gun) means military or army; 事 (ji) means affairs or matters. The pairing follows the classical Chinese pattern of 〜事 denoting a domain of activity (cf. 民事, 刑事).

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated