# 休日の官庁街



## Cribby93

What does it mean 休日の官庁街?
I was translating this sentence 休日の官庁街は人通りもなく、ひっそりとしています。


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## Flaminius

Perhaps it’s unusual in Ramance languages, but Japanese allows time-related nouns to modify another noun by the possesive particle.  Often, 休日の is not “about holidays” but “during holidays.”  In your sentence, 休日の官庁街 means the administrative centre during holidays.


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## 森人さん

官庁街 Does this term refer to a group of government buildings on a single street or in multiple areas that are close by?


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## Flaminius

It is true that 街 is often used as a translation for “street,” a concept on the European address system, it seldom (I am just too careful to say never) used as a single street in describing things Japanese.  Baker street is ベイカー街, amd Elm street is エルム街, but most cities in Japan do not use street address system.

As a suffix, 街 refers to a city area characterized by certain type if activities, or buildings.  官庁街 is an area where a lot of government offices are found, 暗黒街 is characterized by high crime rate and shady businesses.


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## 森人さん

I appreciate the thoroughness of the answers that I receive here.


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## Cribby93

Flaminius said:


> It is true that 街 is often used as a translation for “street,” a concept on the European address system, it seldom (I am just too careful to say never) used as a single street in describing things Japanese.  Baker street is ベイカー街, amd Elm street is エルム街, but most cities in Japan do not use street address system.
> 
> As a suffix, 街 refers to a city area characterized by certain type if activities, or buildings.  官庁街 is an area where a lot of government offices are found, 暗黒街 is characterized by high crime rate and shady businesses.




Now I see  thank you so much for the explanation. 
What about the difference between 町and 街?


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## 森人さん

町 refers more commonly to a neighborhood. 街 is more commonly used for a business area.


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## frequency

森人さん said:


> 街 is more commonly used for a business area.


Indeed. We say so. But not only a business area. E.g. 歓楽街 
(Cross-posted)


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## 森人さん

The entertainment district, an area of similar businesses.


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## Flaminius

I don’t think 町 is neighbourhood.  It is _chōnai_ (町内).  町, _machi_, as a word is primarily an antonym to _mura_, or small rural habitats that thrive on primary industries.  Secondly, it is an administrative district on a par with _mura_ and _shi_, in that they are all subject to the prefectural government.  They are no different in terms of their legal status, but _machi_ and _mura_ are less populous and urbane than _shi_.

_Machi_ is oftentimes interchangeably written 町 and 街.  _Gai_ (街) is a bound morpheme for a part of the town; it’s not just a business area.  E.g., 街灯, 街路樹, 住宅街, and スラム街.


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## Cribby93

Flaminius said:


> I don’t think 町 is neighbourhood.  It is _chōnai_ (町内).  町, _machi_, as a word is primarily an antonym to _mura_, or small rural habitats that thrive on primary industries.  Secondly, it is an administrative district on a par with _mura_ and _shi_, in that they are all subject to the prefectural government.  They are no different in terms of their legal status, but _machi_ and _mura_ are less populous and urbane than _shi_.
> 
> _Machi_ is oftentimes interchangeably written 町 and 街.  _Gai_ (街) is a bound morpheme for a part of the town; it’s not just a business area.  E.g., 街灯, 街路樹, 住宅街, and スラム街.



Thanks for the explanation


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