官邸

• Reading: かんてい
• Romaji: kantei
• Kanji breakdown: 官 (kan) — official, government; 邸 (tei) — mansion, residence
• Pronunciation: /kan.teː/

Meaning

Official residence; the Prime Minister's office and residence. The seat of executive power.

In Japan, 官邸 specifically refers to the Prime Minister's Official Residence (首相官邸, kantei), the nerve centre of the government. It is used metonymically in journalism to mean 'the Prime Minister's office' or 'the government's inner circle,' much as 'the White House' stands for the US executive branch. Rebuilt in 2002, it is a constant backdrop in political news.

Examples

1. 官邸は緊急の閣僚会議を招集し、対応策を協議した。 The Prime Minister's Office convened an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss countermeasures.
2. 官邸前では、連日市民による抗議デモが行われた。 In front of the Prime Minister's Office, citizen protest demonstrations were held every day.
3. 官邸と外務省の間に認識の齟齬があったと、後に明らかになった。 It was later revealed that there had been a gap in understanding between the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, government, journalism, diplomacy

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 官 (kan, official/government) and 邸 (tei, mansion/residence). 邸 specifically denotes a large official or private residence, giving 官邸 the meaning of an official government mansion.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal