部下

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 部下 is a noun read ぶか, referring to a subordinate or junior staff member under someone's direction in an organization.
• Basic usage: It can describe a supervisor listening to subordinates or warn against assigning responsibility only to them.
  • 上司は部下の意見にも耳を傾けた。 says that the supervisor also listened to subordinates' opinions; 失敗の責任を部下だけに負わせてはいけない。 says that responsibility for failure must not be placed only on subordinates.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 部下の意見にも
  • にも includes subordinates' opinions among the views to which the supervisor listened.
• 部下だけに負わせる
  • だけ limits the target to subordinates, and に marks the people made to bear the responsibility.
• 部下 and 同僚
  • 部下 is someone lower in a chain of command, while 同僚 is a colleague who works in the same organization.