董事

tōji
nounIntermediate director
💼Business
formal

A member of the board of directors in a company or organization, responsible for overseeing management and making key decisions.

董事会は新しい戦略を承認した。

The board of directors approved the new strategy.

💡

In Japanese corporate governance, 董事 (tōji) typically refers to a director, while 取締役 (torishimariyaku) is the more formal term for a board member.

⚖️Law
formal

A person appointed to manage or supervise an organization, often in a legal or financial context.

彼は非営利団体の董事を務めている。

He serves as a director of a nonprofit organization.

💡

In legal contexts, the term can also refer to a trustee or a person with fiduciary responsibilities.

Collocations

董事会board of directors取締役董事executive director外部董事outside director

Related Phrases

董事長phrase
chairman of the board
董事会議phrase
board meeting

💡Pro Tip

Formal vs. Informal Usage

While 董事 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, 取締役 is more formal and often appears in legal documents.

Gold Rule

Corporate Governance

In Japanese corporate governance, 董事 typically refers to a director, while 取締役 is the more formal term for a board member.

📖Word Origin

Derived from Chinese, where '董' (dǒng) means 'to supervise' and '事' (shì) means 'affair' or 'matter'. The term was adopted into Japanese to refer to a director or supervisor in a corporate or organizational context.

📝Usage Notes

In Japanese, 董事 is often used interchangeably with 取締役, though the latter is more commonly used in formal corporate documents. The term can also be used in non-profit organizations and government bodies.

Word Breakdown

to supervise
root
+
affair or matter
root
和英辞典