領事
りょうじ · ryouji · JLPT N2 · noun
consul
🏛️ 領 (ryou, lead/territory) + 事 (ji, matter): an official who handles a nation's affairs abroad
領事 is built from 領 (territory, to govern) and 事 (affair, business). A consul handles a country's official business for its citizens in a foreign territory.
事 — hand 又 holding a banner/tablet on a pole
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) grasping a pole or ceremonial banner used by an official, depicting the act of conducting court business. From this it came to mean 'affair, matter, business, service.' It shares an ancient origin with 史 (scribe) and 吏 (official).