"Kugyo" is a term referring to court noble posts responsible for national politics as the top-ranking officers of Daijokan (Grand Council of State) based on provisions of the Ritsuryo system (a system of centralized government based on the ritsuryo code), namely, the top officials (collectively called giseikan), Daijo-daijin (Grand minister of state), Sadaijin (minister of the left), Udaijin (minister of the right), Dainagon (chief councilor of state), Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), and Sangi (imperial advisor) (or Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) or higher).
公卿（くぎょう）とは公家の中でも日本の律令の規定に基づく太政官の最高幹部として国政を担う職位、すなわち太政大臣・左大臣・右大臣・大納言・中納言・参議ら（もしくは従三位以上）の高官（総称して議政官という）を差す用語である。