大臣 dàchén chancellor (of a monarchy)
chancellor (of a monarchy); cabinet minister
How to remember 大臣: 大 big + 臣 minister = chancellor (of a monarchy).
Characters
How it is used
- A cabinet minister / high court official in a monarchy: 财政大臣 (cáizhèng dàchén) chancellor/finance minister, 外交大臣 (foreign secretary).
- Historical or for monarchies (UK, Japan); a modern republic uses 部长 (bùzhǎng) for ministers.
- Appears in period dramas and in news about kingdoms.