上司（じょうし、joushi）
- boss/superior

The Japanese word 上司 means "superior," "boss," or "supervisor." It refers to a person who holds a position of authority over you in a workplace or organizational setting. This could be your direct manager, team leader, or any person higher in the company hierarchy. The term emphasizes the hierarchical relationship between employees. The term 上司 implies authority and responsibility for managing and overseeing the work of others.

⚫︎山田さんは私の上司です。 Translation: Mr. Yamada is my boss. ⚫︎新しい上司はとても親切です。 Translation: My new supervisor is very kind.

You use 上司 when you are referring to a person who has authority over you in the workplace. It’s a common term in formal and informal business settings. You would use it when talking about your manager, or when referring to someone who is in a higher position than you within a company. It's important to use polite language when speaking about or to your 上司, as a sign of respect.

上司 is typically written in kanji. The reading is じょうし in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word, nor are there significant variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ ボス (bosu) - boss (loanword, more casual) ⚫︎ 上役 (uwayaku) - superior, senior official ⚫︎ 部長 (buchou) - department manager ⚫︎ 課長 (kachou) - section chief

⚫︎ 部下 (buka) - subordinate, underling ⚫︎ 同僚 (douryou) - colleague, coworker

上司に今日の進捗状況を報告しました。 ・Translation: I reported today's progress to my boss. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates how to use 上司 when talking about communication with a superior regarding work matters.

上司の指示に従って作業を進めてください。 ・Translation: Please proceed with the work according to your boss's instructions. ・Explanation: This is an example of the directive used for employees to comply with the 上司's orders.

The word 上司 is a compound word formed from two kanji. 上 (jou) means "above," "up," or "superior," and 司 (shi) means "to manage," "to control," or "to be in charge of." Therefore, the combination of these two characters creates the meaning of "superior" or "person in charge."