How to say "work" in Japanese

• 仕事しごとJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers work as a job or occupation and as tasks to be done; choose it when 'work' means employment or the things you have to get done.
  「あなたは仕事しごとが気きに入はいっていると思おもいます」「いやそれどころか、嫌きらいです」↗

  "I think you like your job." "On the contrary, I hate it."
• 作業さぎょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbWork as an operation or task being carried out, often manual or technical; use it for work in progress or a specific piece of work being done, rather than one's job.
  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.
• 働くはたらくJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe verb 'to work': to labor or hold a job. Use it when 'work' functions as a verb in English, since 仕事 and 作業 are nouns.
  彼かれは５時間じかん以上いじょうもぶっ続つづけで働はたらいた。↗

  He worked more than five hours on end.
• 作品さくひんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA work of art or creative production — a book, film, painting, or composition; use it only for this sense of 'work', never for a job or labor.
  これは母ははの作品さくひんの一ひとつです。↗

  It is something my mother made.
• 業ぎょうCommon
  noun, noun (suffix)Rarely the standalone word you want for 'work'; its senses of business, company, or agency appear chiefly within larger words for businesses and trades.
  大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうしたら、輸出業ゆしゅつぎょうに従事じゅうじしたいと思おもっています。↗

  I hope to be engaged in the export business after graduating from college.

Use 仕事 for work as a job or tasks, 作業 for work as an ongoing operation, 「働く」 for the verb, 作品 for creative works, and 業 mainly within larger business-related words.

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

• 仕事しごとwork
• 作業さぎょうwork
• 働くはたらくto work
• 作品さくひんwork (e.g. book, film, painting, composition)
• 業ぎょうwork
• 制作せいさくwork (film, book)
• ワークwork
• 勤めるつとめるto work (for)
• 作さくwork (e.g. of art)
• 働きはたらきwork
• 労働ろうどうlabor
• 業務ぎょうむbusiness
• 職しょくjob
• 勤務きんむservice
• 細工さいくwork
• 操業そうぎょうoperation (of a machine, factory, fishing boat, etc.)
• 労務ろうむlabor
• 施工せこうconstruction
• 業績ぎょうせきachievement
• 労ろうlabor
• 労するろうするto work
• 稼げるかせげるto work
• 相勤めるあいつとめるto work (for)
• お仕事おしごとwork
• 業わざdeed
• 工作物こうさくぶつmanufactured article
• 著ちょ(written) work
• 著書ちょしょ(written) work
• 著作ちょさくwriting (a book)
• 著述ちょじゅつwriting
• 実務じつむ(practical) business
• 効くきくto work
• 扱うあつかうto operate (e.g. a machine)
• 工作こうさくwork
• 操るあやつるto work (a puppet)
• 通用つうようto be accepted (e.g. of a way of thinking)
• 営みいとなみoccupation
• 動くうごくto operate
• 事業じぎょう(social) project
• トラバーユwork
• 尽くすつくすto devote oneself (to)
• 人手ひとでlabor
• ことwork
• こぐto work (a hand pump)