外交官

• Reading: がいこうかん
• Romaji: gaikoukan
• Kanji breakdown: 外 (gai) — outside, foreign; 交 (kou) — exchange, interact; 官 (kan) — official, government
• Pronunciation: /ɡa.i.koː.kaɴ/

Meaning

Diplomat; a person who represents their country in foreign affairs.

Refers to a government official engaged in diplomacy. Includes ambassadors, consuls, and other representatives stationed abroad. A prestigious career in Japan, often requiring passage of the notoriously difficult 外務省専門職員採用試験.

Examples

1. 彼女は将来外交官になることを目指している。 She is aiming to become a diplomat in the future.
2. 外交官として海外に駐在した経験がある。 I have experience being stationed abroad as a diplomat.
3. 外交官は国と国の関係を築く重要な役割を担う。 Diplomats play an important role in building relations between countries.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, international relations, careers

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Compound of 外交 (diplomacy: 外 outside + 交 exchange) + 官 (official/officer). A Sino-Japanese term from the modern diplomatic vocabulary.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal