宰相

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宰相, read さいしょう, refers to a chief minister or prime minister responsible for affairs of state.
• Basic usage: It describes a chief minister advising a king or a prime minister pursuing reforms in a novel.
  • 若い王は経験豊かな宰相の助言に耳を傾けた。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Register compared with 首相
  • 首相 is a general designation for a head of government, while 宰相 is well suited to historical or literary contexts and elevated language.