How to say "operation" in Japanese

• 作業さぎょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers 'operation' in the sense of a task or piece of work being carried out — hands-on work in progress; think of work done at a worksite rather than a machine running.
  私がいない間まも作業さぎょうを続つづけなさい。↗

  Carry on working while I'm away.
• 活動かつどうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers 'operation' in the broad sense of a person's or organization's activities — what they do and carry out; it also describes the activity of animals or volcanoes.
  テレビを見みることは受動的じゅどうてき活動かつどうである。↗

  Watching TV is a passive activity.
• 操作そうさJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'operation' as the handling or management of a machine or device — the act of operating it; typical when discussing how easy a device is to operate.
  このコンピューターの操作そうさは難むずかしい。↗

  Operating this computer is tricky.
• 運転うんてんJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbCovers 'operation (of a machine)': a machine running or working — the machine's operation itself rather than the handling of it; it also means driving a car.
  現在げんざい５０台だいの機械きかいが運転中うんてんちゅうです。↗

  Fifty of the machines are running at the present time.
• 稼働かどうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbAlso 'operation (of a machine); running', close to 運転, but with the nuance of a machine being in operation — actually up and working.
  工場こうじょうはフル稼動かどうしている。↗

  The factory is running at full capacity.

Choose 作業 for a task or piece of work, 活動 for a person's or organization's activities, 操作 for handling a device, and 運転 or 稼働 for a machine running, with 稼働 stressing that it is in operation.

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

• 作業さぎょうwork
• 活動かつどうactivity (of a person, organization, animal, volcano, etc.)
• 操作そうさoperation
• 運転うんてんoperation (of a machine)
• 稼働かどうoperation (of a machine)
• 経営けいえいmanagement
• 運営うんえいmanagement
• 手術しゅじゅつsurgery
• 作用さようaction
• 工程こうていprocess
• 運行うんこうoperation (of a bus or train service)
• 作動さどうoperation
• 演算えんざんoperation
• オペレーションoperation
• オペoperation
• 操業そうぎょうoperation (of a machine, factory, fishing boat, etc.)
• 運航うんこうoperation (of a ship or aircraft route)
• 切開せっかいincision
• 操車そうしゃoperation (of trains)
• 実施じっしenforcement
• 操縦そうじゅうsteering
• 取り回しとりまわし(ease of) handling
• 事業じぎょうbusiness
• システム管理操作システムかんりそうさ(systems management) operation
• 運用うんようoperation (esp. of a boat)
• 動作どうさoperation (of a machine, software, etc.)
• 扱いあつかいhandling (of a machine, tool, etc.)
• 働きはたらきaction