臣 means “minister, retainer”

しん · shin

Also: subject

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シン, ジン

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 4 · 7 strokes

The story

Drawn as an eye turned on its side, looking down: a servant with head bowed before a lord. 臣 is a retainer or a minister, so 大臣 heads a ministry and the 総理大臣, the prime minister, leads the whole cabinet.

Used in 大臣 (daijin, minister), 総理大臣 (souridaijin, prime minister), and 家臣 (kashin, retainer/vassal)

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.