How to say "occupation" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 職業しょくぎょうnounThe word you want for occupation as a person's job, profession, or vocation — what one does for a living, as on forms or when asking what someone does.
- nounReally means 'career' — the course of one's working life or professional track. As a translation of 'occupation' it is only marginal; reach for it when the English means career, not job.
- 占拠せんきょnoun, suru verb, transitive verbOccupation in the concrete sense of taking and maintaining exclusive control of a location, such as a building or territory. It has nothing to do with jobs or professions.
- 生業なりわいnounOccupation as one's calling or livelihood. It is seldom the word you want for the plain sense 'job'; for that, 職業 is the natural choice.
- 占有せんゆうnoun, suru verb, transitive verbOccupation as possession or occupancy — holding or occupying property, land, or an object. It has nothing to do with employment; for a person's job, 職業 is the word.
Choose 職業 for a person's job or profession, 「キャリア」 for one's career, 占拠 for seizing and holding a location, 占有 for possession or occupancy of property, and 生業 for occupation as a calling.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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