How to say "worker" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 職員しょくいんnounCovers 'worker' in the sense of a staff member or employee of an organization such as a school, company, or government office. It emphasizes belonging to an institution rather than the kind of work done.
- nounThe loanword, used for 'worker' in technical or borrowed contexts, such as social or care workers and, in computing, a worker process. Use it mainly in such set expressions rather than as a general word for a laborer.
- 働き手はたらきてnounRefers to a person who actively works and supports others, including the breadwinner of a household or a productive member of a team or workforce. It stresses the supporting, earning role rather than employment status.
- 労働者ろうどうしゃnounThe general word for a worker or laborer, especially in discussions of labor, employment conditions, and workers' rights. It is the natural choice when talking about labor as an economic or social matter.
- 勤労者きんろうしゃnounA formal word for a worker, viewing people as members of the working population, as in statistics or policy discussions about taxpayers and earners. It is not the usual everyday word for an individual worker.
Choose 職員 for institutional staff, 「ワーカー」 for loanword uses, 「働き手」 for a working member or breadwinner of a household or group, 労働者 for manual/labor contexts, and 勤労者 for workers as an economic category.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 職員しょくいんstaff member
- ワーカーworker
- 働き手はたらきてworker
- 労働者ろうどうしゃworker
- 勤労者きんろうしゃworker
- 従業員じゅうぎょういんemployee
- 職人しょくにんcraftsman
- 勤務員きんむいんworker
- 働き人はたらきびとworker
- 従業者じゅうぎょうしゃworker
- 保護委員ほごいいんrehabilitation
- 従事者じゅうじしゃsomeone engaged in a certain pursuit
- 作業者さぎょうしゃoperator
- 職業人しょくぎょうじんprofessional
- 工こう(factory) worker
- 作業員さぎょういん(blue-collar) worker
- 手てhand
See also
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