労作|ろうさくrousaku[0]heiban (flat)

Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verbtoil; labor; labour; laborious task
  2. nounpainstaking piece of work; (a) work involving considerable effort
Conjugation
Dictionary form労作する(ろうさくする)
Polite (masu)労作します(ろうさくします)
Negative (nai)労作しない(ろうさくしない)
polite (masen)労作しません(ろうさくしません)
classical zu / nu労作せず・労作せぬ(ろうさくせず・ろうさくせぬ)
Past (ta)労作した(ろうさくした)
polite (mashita)労作しました(ろうさくしました)
Past negative (nakatta)労作しなかった(ろうさくしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)労作しませんでした(ろうさくしませんでした)
Te form労作して(ろうさくして)
Potential労作できる(ろうさくできる)
Passive労作される(ろうさくされる)
Causative労作させる(ろうさくさせる)
Causative passive労作させられる(ろうさくさせられる)
Conditional (ba)労作すれば(ろうさくすれば)
tara労作したら(ろうさくしたら)
Volitional労作しよう(ろうさくしよう)
polite (mashou)労作しましょう(ろうさくしましょう)
Imperative労作しろ(ろうさくしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym労苦ろうくWrittenWritten/formal prose for physical and mental toil; it stresses the hardship endured, while 「労作」 centres on the painstakingly finished work or the labour itself.
  • Synonym辛苦しんくWrittenWritten/formal prose for hardship and suffering, as in 「辛苦を共にする」; it stresses the hardships one goes through rather than a finished work.
  • Synonym力作りきさくNeutralNeutral word for a work into which great effort has been poured; close to 「労作」 in its work sense, but it stresses that the result is outstanding.
  • Related労ろうWrittenWritten/formal prose for labour expended or a contribution, often in set phrases like 「労をねぎらう」 or 「労を惜しまず」; it names the effort, not a work.
  • Related粒々辛苦りゅうりゅうしんくWrittenA four-character idiom in written/formal prose for painstaking effort applied bit by bit; it stresses long, steady hard work toward a goal.
  • Related汗するあせするWrittenWritten/formal prose meaning to sweat, used figuratively for working hard; seen mostly in phrases like 「額に汗して」.
  • Relatedこつこつ働くこつこつはたらくCasualColloquial phrase for working steadily, little by little; it stresses a diligent, persistent attitude rather than the effort or the result itself.

Use 「労作」 for a painstakingly completed work or hard labour, as in 「十年がかりの労作」. For an outstanding work say 「力作」; for hardship endured, 「労苦」 or 「辛苦」; for steady, diligent work, 「こつこつ働く」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. (ろうさく / ろうさ)苦労くろうして働はたらくこと。
  2. (ろうさく)苦労くろうして生み出うみだした作品さくひん。
  3. 苦労くろうして働はたらく。
Kanji in this word
See also

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