Here are 60 Japanese words for work and the office, each with a romaji reading. Fourteen are katakana loanwords such as メール (mēru, email), and several have a formal twin you will mostly read. Learn these five first: 仕事 (shigoto, work), 会社 (kaisha, company), 会議 (kaigi, meeting), 上司 (jōshi, boss) and 忙しい (isogashii, busy).
- Words
- 60, with Hepburn romaji
- Katakana loanwords
- 14 of the 60, plus メールを送る, サインする and プロの
- Verbs
- 6 are する verbs (応募する, 印刷する…)
- Level
- A2–B1
60 Japanese work words
Each word is in its usual spelling with a Hepburn reading. Verbs are in dictionary form; at work you will mostly use them in the polite ます form (応募します, I'll apply). This is the work pack the Contos web app uses for flashcard review.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 仕事 | shigoto | job |
| オフィス | ofisu | office |
| 会議 | kaigi | meeting |
| 同僚 | dōryō | colleague |
| 上司 | jōshi | boss |
| マネージャー | manējā | manager |
| チーム | chīmu | team |
| プロジェクト | purojekuto | project |
| 締め切り | shimekiri | deadline |
| メール | mēru | |
| 報告書 | hōkokusho | report |
| 契約 | keiyaku | contract |
| 顧客 | kokyaku | client |
| 会社 | kaisha | company |
| 給料 | kyūryō | salary |
| 面接 | mensetsu | job interview |
| 履歴書 | rirekisho | CV |
| キャリア | kyaria | career |
| プレゼンテーション | purezentēshon | presentation |
| スケジュール | sukejūru | schedule |
| タスク | tasuku | task |
| パソコン | pasokon | computer |
| プリンター | purintā | printer |
| 電話 | denwa | phone call |
| 休憩 | kyūkei | break |
| 昼休み | hiruyasumi | lunch break |
| 休暇 | kyūka | holiday |
| 休日 | kyūjitsu | day off |
| 残業 | zangyō | overtime |
| 雇う | yatou | to hire |
| 応募する | ōbo suru | to apply for a job |
| 交渉する | kōshō suru | to negotiate |
| サインする | sain suru | to sign |
| クビにする | kubi ni suru | to fire |
| 予算 | yosan | budget |
| 値段 | nedan | price |
| 請求書 | seikyūsho | invoice |
| 利益 | rieki | profit |
| 販売 | hanbai | sale |
| カスタマーサービス | kasutamā sābisu | customer service |
| アポイント | apointo | appointment |
| メールを送る | mēru o okuru | to send an email |
| 忙しい | isogashii | busy |
| 経験豊富な | keiken hōfu na | experienced |
| プロの | puro no | professional |
| 社員 | shain | employee |
| 雇い主 | yatoinushi | employer |
| 辞める | yameru | to resign |
| 昇進 | shōshin | promotion |
| 書類 | shorui | document |
| 印刷する | insatsu suru | to print |
| スキル | sukiru | skill |
| 経験 | keiken | experience |
| 部署 | busho | department |
| 勤務時間 | kinmu jikan | working hours |
| 稼ぐ | kasegu | to earn |
| 出張 | shutchō | business trip |
| 職場 | shokuba | workplace |
| 定年退職する | teinen taishoku suru | to retire |
| 昇給 | shōkyū | pay rise |
How do you say where you work and what you do?
Japanese has two everyday verbs for working. 働く (hataraku) takes the place with で: 銀行で働いています, I work at a bank. 仕事をする (shigoto o suru) is "to do work", and 仕事 on its own is both "a job" and "work". The answer most people give about their job is simply 会社員です (kaishain desu), I'm a company employee. 社員 (shain), in the list, is an employee of a particular company: 田中さんはこの会社の社員です.
健太 は 夜 コンビニ で 働きます。Kenta wa yoru konbini de hatarakimasu.
銀行で働いています。
Ginkō de hataraite imasu.
I work at a bank.
お仕事は何をされていますか。
Oshigoto wa nani o sarete imasu ka.
What do you do for a living?
A polite question to someone you have just met.
今日は残業です。
Kyō wa zangyō desu.
I'm working late today.
来週、大阪に出張します。
Raishū, Ōsaka ni shutchō shimasu.
I'm going to Osaka on a business trip next week.
Which office words are loanwords, and which are formal?
Offices run on katakana: メール (mēru), スケジュール (sukejūru), プロジェクト (purojekuto). Japanese also shortens long loanwords, and the short forms are what you hear at work: パソコン is itself short for "personal computer", プレゼンテーション becomes プレゼン (purezen) and アポイント becomes アポ (apo).
会議室 で、 佐藤 健一 は クライアント と 話して いた。Kaigishitsu de, Satō Ken'ichi wa kuraianto to hanashite ita.
Several work words have a formal kanji twin that you will see in contracts and news. The list gives the everyday choice, except for 顧客 (kokyaku), which is itself the formal word; in conversation a client is お客様 (okyakusama):
| In the list | Formal or written | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 辞める (yameru) | 辞職する (jishoku suru) | to resign, to quit |
| クビにする (kubi ni suru) | 解雇する (kaiko suru) | to fire; to get fired is クビになる |
| サインする (sain suru) | 署名する (shomei suru) | to sign |
| 雇い主 (yatoinushi) | 雇用主 (koyōnushi) | the employer |
Phrases for the working day
Japanese offices have set phrases for arriving, leaving and asking a favour. お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu) acknowledges a colleague's effort and works as hello, well done and goodbye between people at work.
お疲れ様です。
Otsukaresama desu.
A greeting between colleagues: literally, you must be tired from your work.
お先に失礼します。
Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu.
Said when you leave work before others: excuse me for going first.
締め切りは金曜日です。
Shimekiri wa kin'yōbi desu.
The deadline is Friday.
メールを送りました。
Mēru o okurimashita.
I've sent the email.
よろしくお願いします。
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Said when you ask for help or start working with someone: I'm counting on you.
でも その メール を 開く 前 に、 彼 の 上司 の 美咲 が 彼 を 呼ぶ 声 が 聞こえた。Demo sono mēru o hiraku mae ni, kare no jōshi no Misaki ga kare o yobu koe ga kikoeta.
Read a short Japanese story at A1 and tap any word for its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
What does お疲れ様です mean?
Literally "you must be tired", but it means thanks for your hard work. Colleagues say it when they pass in the corridor, at the end of a meeting and when someone leaves for the day. It is for people you work with, not for customers.
How do you say "I work at…" in Japanese?
Use the place, で and 働いています: 病院で働いています (byōin de hataraite imasu), I work at a hospital. For a company, people often say the company name followed by に勤めています (ni tsutomete imasu).
What is the difference between 休暇 and 休日?
休日 (kyūjitsu) is a day off: weekends and public holidays. 休暇 (kyūka) is leave you take, such as a week away; paid leave is 有給休暇 (yūkyū kyūka), often just 有給.
Does メール mean email or post?
Email. Letters and parcels are 郵便 (yūbin), the post, and a postbox is ポスト (posuto). To send an email is メールを送る (mēru o okuru).