What's the difference between 大臣 and 閣僚?


I understand 大臣 means "minister" and 閣僚 means "cabinet minister", but I am
curious what's the difference between these two terms ?




Both mean the same thing. The difference is how they combine with other words.

According to
[this](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/7435/meaning/m1u/%E5%A4%A7%E8%87%A3/),
大臣 is more about individuals while 閣僚 is more about the ministers as a group
of people.

My impression is that they are not so interchangeable.

  * 外務大臣 _Minister of Foreign Affairs_. Not 外務閣僚
  * 末は博士か大臣か _will become a PhD or a minister in future_ - an oldish set phrase to describe a promising child (although I don't see much future for Japanese PhD's and ministers now). 閣僚 is not possible.
  * 首相は関係閣僚に対応を指示した _Prime minister told ministers in charge to take necessary actions_. 大臣 is not possible.
  * 閣僚経験者 _A person who was a minister in the past_. To me 大臣経験者 sounds OK, but it is much less common.




Both mean the same thing. The difference is how they combine with other words.

According to
[this](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/7435/meaning/m1u/%E5%A4%A7%E8%87%A3/),
大臣 is more about individuals while 閣僚 is more about the ministers as a group
of people.

My impression is that they are not so interchangeable.

  * 外務大臣 _Minister of Foreign Affairs_. Not 外務閣僚
  * 末は博士か大臣か _will become a PhD or a minister in future_ - an oldish set phrase to describe a promising child (although I don't see much future for Japanese PhD's and ministers now). 閣僚 is not possible.
  * 首相は関係閣僚に対応を指示した _Prime minister told ministers in charge to take necessary actions_. 大臣 is not possible.
  * 閣僚経験者 _A person who was a minister in the past_. To me 大臣経験者 sounds OK, but it is much less common.

