大臣

• Reading: だいじん
• Romaji: daijin
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai) — great, important; 臣 (jin) — retainer, minister
• Pronunciation: /daɪ.dʑiɴ/

Meaning

Cabinet minister; a senior government official heading a ministry.

A noun referring to a member of the cabinet who oversees a government ministry. Common compounds include 外務大臣 (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and 財務大臣 (Minister of Finance). In casual speech, people often use ○○相 as a shorter suffix for ministers.

Examples

1. 新しい大臣が今日就任した。 The new minister took office today.
2. 大臣は国民に向けてメッセージを出した。 The minister issued a message to the public.
3. 環境大臣がゴミ問題について語った。 The environment minister spoke about the garbage problem.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, news, government

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 大 (great, important) and 臣 (retainer, minister, subject). Historically referred to a high-ranking retainer serving the emperor.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal