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I understand 大臣 means "minister" and 閣僚 means "cabinet minister", but I am
curious what's the difference between these two terms ?
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2022-01-07T15:33:19.817
92881
2022-01-08T04:49:37.860
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question
word-choice words
What's the difference between 大臣 and 閣僚?
大臣 may be best translated as "chancellor". My impression is this term has been
deprecated in modern government and is not used anymore.
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2022-01-08T03:28:15.757
92886
2022-01-08T03:28:15.757
34142
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answer
Both mean the same thing. The difference is how they combine with other words.

According to
[this](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/7435/meaning/m1u/%E5%A4%A7%E8%87%A3/),
大臣 is more about individuals while 閣僚 is more about the ministers as a group
of people.

My impression is that they are not so interchangeable.

  * 外務大臣 _Minister of Foreign Affairs_. Not 外務閣僚
  * 末は博士か大臣か _will become a PhD or a minister in future_ - an oldish set phrase to describe a promising child (although I don't see much future for Japanese PhD's and ministers now). 閣僚 is not possible.
  * 首相は関係閣僚に対応を指示した _Prime minister told ministers in charge to take necessary actions_. 大臣 is not possible.
  * 閣僚経験者 _A person who was a minister in the past_. To me 大臣経験者 sounds OK, but it is much less common.
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2022-01-08T04:49:37.860
92889
2022-01-08T04:49:37.860
45489
92881
answer