How to say "employment" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 使用しようnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'employment' only in the sense of using or applying something — the employment of a tool, method, or resource — not the employment of people; for that, 雇用 is the word.使用する前に瓶を振ってください。↗Shake the bottle before using.
- 雇用こようnoun, suru verb, transitive verbEmployment in the sense of people being hired and holding jobs — the labor-market meaning of the word. Turn to this for talk of hiring, jobs, and the employment situation.
- 職しょくnoun, noun (suffix)Here 'employment' means a job or occupation — the position a person holds rather than the hiring system. Typical contexts are getting, changing, or holding a job.
- 従業じゅうぎょうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe act of being engaged in one's work. As a way to say 'employment' it is marginal — seldom the word you want; for jobs and hiring, 雇用 or 職 is the natural choice.
- 就業しゅうぎょうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbIts core sense is starting work: beginning the workday or being engaged in work. It suits contexts about when people start or are at work; for the job-market sense, 雇用 is the usual choice.
For employment of people and hiring use 雇用; for a job or position use 職; for the 'employment' of things use 使用; 従業 and 就業 are narrower terms about being engaged in or starting work.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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