How to say "foreman" in Japanese

• フォアマンCommon
  nounThe direct loanword from English; use it when you simply mean a foreman, the worker who leads and supervises a crew, as on a work site.
• 組長くみちょうCommon
  nounHead of a group or crew; in the foreman sense it names the leader of a work gang, but the word is strongly associated with yakuza bosses, so listeners may hear that image first.
  暴力団ぼうりょくだんの組長くみちょうは団員だんいん全部ぜんぶに規則きそくを守まもらせ、恐怖感きょうふかんによって、団員だんいんを掌握しょうあくした。↗

  The gang leader made all the members toe the line, keeping control through fear.
• 親方おやかたCommon
  nounA respectful term for the boss or master of craftsmen and laborers; fits a foreman who is a master of his trade and is addressed with deference, such as the head of a building crew.
• 監督かんとくJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounReally means supervisor, director, or coach rather than foreman; use it for someone who oversees work in general, a film director, or a sports coach, not for the head of a work crew.
  監督かんとくはチームをトーナメント優勝ゆうしょうに今一いまいち歩あゆみという所ところまでもっていったのに悔くやしいことだった。↗

  It was annoying, as the manager took his team to a near-miss in the tournament.

Choose 「フォアマン」 as the direct equivalent, 組長 for a crew boss with yakuza associations, 親方 for a respected master craftsman or boss, and 監督 only for a supervisor or director, not a foreman.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• フォアマンforeman
• 組長くみちょうboss (esp. yakuza)
• 親方おやかたmaster
• 職長しょくちょうforeman
• 監督かんとくdirector