Meaning
僚 means colleague, fellow official, and companion. It describes people who work alongside one another, particularly within an official, governmental, or organizational context. In modern Japanese, 僚 appears most prominently in compound words that describe professional relationships inside institutions, government ministries, and military structures.
Structurally, this character is composed of two distinct parts. The left side is 亻 (the person radical, にんべん), which immediately signals that this kanji concerns people and human relationships. The right side is 尞, a complex phonetic component that gives the character its on'yomi reading of リョウ (RYŌ). This same phonetic component 尞 also appears in kanji such as 寮 (dormitory) and 療 (healing, therapy), all sharing the RYŌ sound. The pairing of a person (亻) with this phonetic element evokes the image of officials or attendants standing side by side, engaged in shared duties.
This character has deep roots in classical Chinese administrative vocabulary, where 僚 referred to officials of similar rank serving under the same lord or within the same governmental structure. That historical sense of shared rank and shared service directly informs every modern compound that uses 僚. When Japanese speakers say 同僚 (dōryō, colleague), they are drawing on over a thousand years of this meaning. The word 官僚 (kanryō, bureaucrat) likewise carries echoes of the ancient imperial court, where ranks of officials managed the affairs of state.
With 14 strokes, 僚 belongs to the secondary school kanji set (中学校レベル), reflected in its grade-8 classification within the extended Jōyō kanji system. Its radical is 亻, the person radical, a fitting marker for a character whose meaning is rooted entirely in human relationships.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
僚 has one standard on'yomi reading:
リョウ (RYŌ) — The only reading used for 僚 in modern Japanese, appearing exclusively within compound words (熟語, jukugo). Because 僚 almost never stands alone, the key compounds are the practical entry point for any learner. The reading RYŌ is consistent and predictable, and it traces back to Middle Chinese administrative pronunciation, adopted into Japanese alongside the vocabulary of governance and official rank.
- 同僚 (dōryō) — colleague, coworker
- 官僚 (kanryō) — bureaucrat, government official
- 閣僚 (kakuryō) — cabinet minister
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
僚 has no standard kun'yomi readings in modern Japanese. This is common for kanji that entered the language as complete units of administrative vocabulary from classical Chinese. 僚 arrived without a native Japanese equivalent waiting to receive it, so no native reading developed. There is only one reading (リョウ), used entirely in compounds — which makes things straightforward. For N1, prioritize 同僚, 官僚, 閣僚, and 幕僚; those four cover the vast majority of real usage.
Common Words & Compounds
The following compound words all use 僚 with the reading リョウ. They span workplace conversation, political discourse, and military terminology — the three main domains where this kanji appears.
Workplace and Professional Relationships
- 同僚 (dōryō) — colleague, coworker; the single most common word using 僚, used daily in offices, shops, hospitals, and any professional environment to refer to a person who works at the same organization
- 僚友 (ryōyū) — comrade, companion; a somewhat formal or literary term for a fellow who shares the same mission, rank, or position, often used in contexts of solidarity
Government and Bureaucracy
- 官僚 (kanryō) — bureaucrat, government official; one of the most important N1 vocabulary words, used extensively in news and political commentary
- 閣僚 (kakuryō) — cabinet minister; a member of the national government cabinet, used in formal political reporting
- 幕僚 (bakuryō) — staff officer, chief of staff; originally referred to senior advisors within a feudal lord's war headquarters (幕府), now used for military and executive staff
- 官僚主義 (kanryō shugi) — bureaucratism; the tendency to prioritize rules and procedures over practical results, often used critically
- 官僚的 (kanryōteki) — bureaucratic; adjective form used to describe rigid, rule-bound behavior or systems
Military and Vehicles
- 僚機 (ryōki) — companion aircraft, wingman aircraft; the partner plane flying alongside the lead aircraft in a formation
- 僚船 (ryōsen) — companion ship, sister vessel; a ship operating together with another in a fleet or convoy
- 僚艦 (ryōkan) — companion warship; used in naval military contexts to refer to a vessel operating alongside another
Example Sentences
彼は私の大切な同僚です。
Kare wa watashi no taisetsu na dōryō desu.
He is my valued colleague.
同僚たちと一緒に昼食を食べました。
Dōryō-tachi to issho ni chūshoku wo tabemashita.
I had lunch together with my colleagues.
官僚は国の政策を実行する役割を担っています。
Kanryō wa kuni no seisaku wo jikkō suru yakuwari wo ninatte imasu.
Bureaucrats bear the role of implementing national policy.
彼女は閣僚の一人として任命されました。
Kanojo wa kakuryō no hitori to shite ninmei saremashita.
She was appointed as one of the cabinet ministers.
官僚主義が改革の妨げになっている。
Kanryō shugi ga kaikaku no samatage ni natte iru.
Bureaucratism is becoming an obstacle to reform.
幕僚たちは作戦を綿密に計画した。
Bakuryō-tachi wa sakusen wo menmitsu ni keikaku shita.
The staff officers meticulously planned the operation.
同僚からのサポートは仕事をする上でとても大切です。
Dōryō kara no sapōto wa shigoto wo suru ue de totemo taisetsu desu.
Support from colleagues is very important in doing one's work.
彼は官僚として長年働いてきた豊富な経験がある。
Kare wa kanryō to shite naganen hataraite kita hōfu na keiken ga aru.
He has rich experience having worked as a government official for many years.
僚機が援護のために飛来した。
Ryōki ga engo no tame ni hirai shita.
The companion aircraft flew in to provide cover.
新しい閣僚たちの顔ぶれが正式に発表された。
Atarashii kakuryō-tachi no kaobure ga seishiki ni happyō sareta.
The official lineup of new cabinet ministers was formally announced.
Memory Tip
Start with what you can see: 亻 on the left is the person radical, so this kanji is always about people. Picture ministry clerks lined up in a corridor, each one a 亻 standing beside another — that image is 僚. The reading is RYŌ. Tie it to 同僚 (dōryō) — same (同) + fellow (僚) = colleague. Once dōryō clicks, リョウ comes automatically. Your RYŌ colleague always stands beside the 亻 radical, shoulder to shoulder. The word 官僚 (kanryō, bureaucrat) reinforces the pattern: 官 (government official) + 僚 (fellow) = bureaucrat.