The central government was composed of nikan (two departments), hassho (eight ministries), ichidai (one office), and goefu (five guards) (two departments and eight ministries), and there were several government offices named shiki (agency), ryo (bureau), and Komoku-meishi under the ministries.
中央政府は二官、八省、一台、五衛府で構成され（二官八省）、各省は職、寮、項目名司の名をもった若干の官庁をしたがえている。