公示

• Reading: こうじ
• Romaji: kōji
• Kanji breakdown: 公 (kō) — public, official; 示 (ji) — show, indicate, announce
• Pronunciation: /koː.dʑi/

Meaning

Public announcement; official notice; proclamation. An official declaration made known to the public by a government or authority.

Used with する (公示する) to mean 'to officially announce' or 'to publicly notify.' Technically distinct from 告示 (official notice) and 公告 (public advertisement) in administrative law, though these overlap in everyday usage. Notably used in 選挙の公示 — the official proclamation marking the start of an election campaign period.

Examples

1. 選挙管理委員会は衆議院選挙の公示日を来週と発表した。 The election commission announced that the official campaign period for the House of Representatives election would begin next week.
2. 市は土地利用の変更に関する公示を市役所の掲示板に張り出した。 The city posted a public notice regarding changes in land use on the bulletin board at city hall.
3. 公示価格は毎年一月一日時点の地価を国が公表したものだ。 The officially assessed land price is the land value as of January 1st each year, published by the national government.

Usage Guide

Context: elections, administration, land valuation, public notices

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 公 (kō) means public or official; 示 (ji) means to show, indicate, or make known. Together they denote making something known to the general public through official channels.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated