Translation and Meaning of: 民間 - minkan
The word 「民間」 (minkan) in Japanese generally refers to something that is private or belongs to the civil sector, as opposed to government or public entities. This term is widely used in various contexts to denote businesses and activities that are not under state control, especially in the corporate or community realm.
Etymologically, 「民間」 is a composition of two kanji: 「民」 which means "people" or "citizen," and 「間」 which translates as "between" or "space." The kanji 「民」 is derived from ancient pictograms related to the common people, while 「間」 refers to the concept of space or interval, symbolizing the idea of something that exists among people, that is, in a non-governmental context.
The use of 「民間」 is quite versatile and applies to different areas. For example, in of business, it can refer to private companies (「民間企業」, minkan kigyō). There is also the expression 「民間信仰」 (minkan shinkō) used to describe popular beliefs or superstitions, those that are not sanctioned by religious or governmental institutions. In infrastructure, services classified as 「民間」 are those managed by non-governmental entities, such as in the case of transportation and health.
Moreover, the word 「民間」 often contrasts with 「公」 (kō), which means "public" or "official." This contrast is an important part of the Japanese vocabulary, used to differentiate the spheres of operations and jurisdictions in everyday life, such as in public and private schools or private versus state hospitals.
The variety in the use of the word 「民間」 reflects the complexity and importance of the private sector in various societies, being an essential element in debates about economy, culture, and community organization. The choice of the word in the correct context is crucial to express the relationship between the individual and these large social structures.
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Synonyms and similar words
- 民間 (Minkan) - Private, non-governmental
- 民間企業 (Minkan Kigyou) - Private companies
- 民間事業 (Minkan Jigyou) - Private businesses, non-governmental commercial activities
- 民間人 (Minkan Jin) - Civilians, people from the private sector
- 民間団体 (Minkan Dantai) - Private organizations, non-governmental associations
- 民間組織 (Minkan Soshiki) - Private organizations, non-governmental groups
- 民間市場 (Minkan Shijou) - Private market, non-governmental economic sector
- 民間セクター (Minkan Sekutaa) - Private sector of the economy
Romaji: minkan
Kana: みんかん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n2
Translation / Meaning: private; civil; civil; popular; folklore; unofficial
Meaning in English: private;civilian;civil;popular;folk;unofficial
Definition: "Private matters and private individuals, not public institutions, like istrative agencies."
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How to Write in Japanese - (民間) minkan
See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese. (民間) minkan:
Example Sentences - (民間) minkan
See below some example sentences:
Minkan kigyou wa keizai no hatten ni juuyou na yakuwari wo hatashite imasu
Private companies play an important role in the development of the economy.
- 民間企業 - Private companies
- は - Topic particle
- 経済 - economy
- の - Possession particle
- 発展 - development
- に - target particle
- 重要 - important
- な - adjective particle
- 役割 - role/function
- を - direct object particle
- 果たしています - perform (verb)
Other Words of this Type: noun
See other words from our dictionary that are also: noun
