机关

機關

jīguān

noun HSK 6 #6,751

Meanings

1 government organ; government office; agency
2 mechanism; device; stratagem

Characters

machine; mechanism; opportunity

gate; barrier; to close

A mechanism with gates — originally a mechanical device, now often a government body.

Examples

他在政府机关工作。

Tā zài zhèngfǔ jīguān gōngzuò.

He works in a government agency.

国家机关要为人民服务。

Guójiā jīguān yào wèirén mín fúwù.

Government organs should serve the people.

这个古墓里有很多机关。

Zhège gǔmù lǐ yǒu hěnduō jīguān.

This ancient tomb has many mechanisms/traps.

Tips

usage

In modern usage, 机关 most commonly refers to government offices: 机关单位 (government work unit), 机关干部 (government cadre). The 'mechanism/trap' meaning appears in historical or fictional contexts.

Stroke Order

机 jī

关 guān