作業|さぎょうsagyou[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbwork; operation; task
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 作業する(さぎょうする) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 作業します(さぎょうします) |
| Negative (nai) | 作業しない(さぎょうしない) |
| polite (masen) | 作業しません(さぎょうしません) |
| classical zu / nu | 作業せず・作業せぬ(さぎょうせず・さぎょうせぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 作業した(さぎょうした) |
| polite (mashita) | 作業しました(さぎょうしました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 作業しなかった(さぎょうしなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 作業しませんでした(さぎょうしませんでした) |
| Te form | 作業して(さぎょうして) |
| Potential | 作業できる(さぎょうできる) |
| Passive | 作業される(さぎょうされる) |
| Causative | 作業させる(さぎょうさせる) |
| Causative passive | 作業させられる(さぎょうさせられる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 作業すれば(さぎょうすれば) |
| tara | 作業したら(さぎょうしたら) |
| Volitional | 作業しよう(さぎょうしよう) |
| polite (mashou) | 作業しましょう(さぎょうしましょう) |
| Imperative | 作業しろ(さぎょうしろ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym仕事しごとNeutralThe broadest word for work or a job, as in 「仕事に行く」; 「作業」 narrows to a concrete piece of work carried out step by step, whether physical or mental.
- Synonym業務ぎょうむWrittenWritten/formal prose for professional business duties — used for companies, government offices, hospitals alike, as in 「業務連絡」. 「作業」 is a concrete, step-by-step task.
- SynonymタスクNeutralLoanword for a task to be completed, as in 「タスク管理」; mostly workplace and computer use. 「作業」 is the work being done.
- SynonymワークNeutralLoanword for work; also short for 「ワークブック」, a workbook of exercises. 「作業」 is a concrete piece of work, physical or mental, done step by step.
- Related課題かだいWrittenWritten/formal prose for an assignment or issue to tackle, as in 「夏休みの課題」; 「作業」 is the actual carrying out of work, not the task that is set.
- Related任務にんむWrittenWritten/formal prose for a mission or task one is assigned, as in 「任務を遂行する」; 「作業」 is the concrete work itself.
- Related職務しょくむWrittenWritten/formal prose for the duties of one's post, as in 「職務を遂行する」; 「作業」 is a specific piece of work done by procedure, not the duties of a post.
- Related役目やくめNeutralNeutral word for a duty or role one must fulfill, as in 「役目を果たす」; it stresses the obligation, while 「作業」 is the work itself.
- Related任にんWrittenWritten/formal prose for duty or responsibility, mostly confined to set phrases like 「任に就く」.
- Related勤めつとめNeutralNeutral word for a job or going to work, as in 「勤めに出る」; stresses holding a post at a workplace, not the work itself.
- Relatedお勤めおつとめFormalPolite term for one's work, or for reading sutras before a Buddha, as in 「お勤めご苦労様」; more deferential than plain 「作業」.
- Relatedお役目おやくめFormalPolite, old-fashioned term for public duty, as in 「お役目ご苦労」; it names an official role rather than the concrete work of 「作業」.
- Related課業かぎょうWrittenWritten/formal prose for schoolwork or assigned lessons; less common, stressing study tasks you are given rather than the actual work process of 「作業」.
- Related職分しょくぶんWrittenWritten/formal prose for one's proper duty or calling, as in 「職分を尽くす」; stresses the duties one ought to fulfill.
- Antonym休憩きゅうけいNeutralThe opposite of 「作業」: a rest or break, as in 「休憩時間」; stresses pausing partway through work or study.
- Antonym余暇よかWrittenWritten/formal prose for leisure time away from work, as in 「余暇活動」; the opposite of 「作業」.
For a concrete piece of work done by a set procedure — physical or mental — 「作業」 is the default. Use 「仕事」 for work in general, 「業務」 for company business, 「タスク」 and 「任務」 for tasks, 「課題」 for assignments, 「役目」 or 「職務」 for duties, and 「休憩」 for a break from it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


