How to say "employee" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 店員てんいんnounCovers employees of a store: the shop assistant or clerk who serves customers. Use this only when the workplace is a shop or similar retail setting, not for office or company staff in general.
- 職員しょくいんnounA staff member or worker of an organization such as a school, government office, or other institution. Use this for personnel of such bodies rather than for shop clerks or private-company workers.
- 雇いやといnounMaps to 'employee' but is really about employment, the fact or condition of being hired. It is seldom the word you want when simply referring to a person who works somewhere.
- 従業員じゅうぎょういんnounThe general word for an employee or worker of a company or business. This is usually the best choice when you mean 'employee' as someone employed by a firm, regardless of job type.
- 使用人しようにんnounCovers 'employee' but also 'servant', so it often suggests domestic or personal service rather than ordinary company work. It is a marginal choice for the plain sense of 'employee'.
Choose 従業員 for company employees, 職員 for institutional staff, 店員 for store clerks, 「雇い」 mainly for 'employment', and 使用人 for servants or domestic employees.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 店員てんいんemployee (of a store)
- 職員しょくいんstaff member
- 雇いやといemployee
- 従業員じゅうぎょういんemployee
- 使用人しようにんemployee
- 雇い人やといにんemployee
- 傭人ようにんemployee
- 市吏員しりいんemployee
- 被傭者ひようしゃemployee
- 雇用者こようしゃemployee
- 被雇用者ひこようしゃemployee
- 主持ちしゅうもちserving a master
- 勤務員きんむいんworker
- 雇員こいんassistant
- 奉公人ほうこうにんservant
- 従業者じゅうぎょうしゃworker
- 従事者じゅうじしゃsomeone engaged in a certain pursuit
- 抱えかかえemployee
See also
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