Translation and Meaning of: 事 - koto

The Japanese word 事[こと] is a fundamental term for anyone learning the language. It appears in various contexts, from everyday conversations to more formal expressions. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and practical uses, as well as tips to memorize it easily. If you have ever wondered how this word works or why it is so common in Japanese, keep reading to find out!

Meaning and Use of 事[こと]

The term 事[こと] is an abstract word that can be translated as "thing," "matter," or "fact." Unlike 物[もの], which refers to physical objects, 事 is related to events, situations, or concepts. For instance, in sentences like "それは大切なことです" (This is an important matter), it indicates a relevant fact or idea.

Its use is extremely versatile. It appears in grammatical constructions such as ことにする (to decide to do something) and ことができる (to be able to do something). Additionally, it is common in expressions like いいこと (a good thing) or 悪いこと (a bad thing). This flexibility makes it one of the most frequent words in the Japanese language.

Origin and Structure of the Kanji 事

The kanji 事 is composed of the radical 亅 (hook) and other strokes that represent a hand holding an object. Historically, it carries the idea of "matter to be dealt with" or "task." Its reading こと comes from ancient Japanese, where it was already used to refer to events or occurrences.

It's worth noting that 事 can also be read as じ in certain compound words, such as 事件[じけん] (incident) or 仕事[しごと] (work). This duality of reading is common in kanji, but in the case of こと, the isolated form is the most used in daily life.

Tips for Memorizing and Using Correctly

An effective way to remember 事[こと] is to associate it with abstract situations. When you hear or read the word, think of "something that happens" or "a fact." Phrases like "何かあったこと？" (Did something happen?) help to internalize its use naturally.

Another tip is to pay attention to fixed expressions. For example, ことわざ (proverb) and ことがある (has happened before) are combinations that appear frequently. The more you familiarize yourself with these patterns, the easier it will be to incorporate こと into your active vocabulary.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 物事 (monogoto) - Things, events or subjects in general.
• 事柄 (kotogara) - Issues or matters that need to be discussed or resolved.
• 事象 (jishou) - Phenomena or events that can be observed or studied.
• 出来事 (dekigoto) - Events or occurrences, usually relevant or significant.
• 事件 (jiken) - Incidents or cases, often with legal or security connotations.
• 事態 (jitai) - Current situation or circumstance, often in a problematic context.
• 事情 (jijou) - Conditions or circumstances, often used to explain a situation.
• 事実 (jijitsu) - Facts or truths, as opposed to opinions or interpretations.
• 事項 (jikou) - Points or articles, often used in administrative contexts.
• 事例 (jirei) - Example cases, used to illustrate or explain something.
• 事務 (jimu) - Administrative or office work.
• 事業 (jigyou) - Commercial, social, or research projects or initiatives.
• 事業体 (jigyoutai) - Business entity or organization that carries out commercial activities.
• 事業所 (jigyousho) - Place where a business or project is carried out.
• 事務所 (jimusho) - Office or administrative workplace.
• 事務局 (jimukyoku) - Administrative office, often of organizations or committees.
• 事務局長 (jimukyokucho) - Head of the administrative office, responsible for operations.
• 事務室 (jimushitsu) - Administration room or office where work is performed.
• 事務員 (jimuin) - Office worker, responsible for administrative tasks.
• 事務作業 (jimusakugyou) - Administrative work or office tasks performed.
• 事務手続き (jimutesuzuki) - Administrative processes or procedures.
• 事務処理 (jimushoori) - Processing of administrative work or tasks.
• 事務管理 (jimukanri) - Administrative management encompasses supervision and organization of activities.
• 事務管理者 (jimukanrisha) - Administrator responsible for managing office operations.
• 事務職 (jimushoku) - Position or administrative role in a company or organization.
• 事務職員 (jimushokuin) - Employee holding an administrative position.
• 事務系 (jimukei) - Category or segment related to administrative work.
• 事務能力 (jimu nouryoku) - Administrative skills or competencies.
• 事務能率 (jimu nouritsu) - Effectiveness or efficiency in administrative tasks.
• 事務能力試験 (jimu nouryoku shiken) - Exam to assess administrative skills.
• 事務能率向上 (jimu nouritsu koujou) - Improvement of administrative efficiency.

事

Romaji: koto
Kana: こと
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: thing; matter; fact; circumstances; business; reason; experience

Meaning in English: thing;matter;fact;circumstances;business;reason;experience

Definition: Refers to something happening or being done.

Example Sentences - (事) koto

See below some example sentences:

私は祖父の仕事を継ぐつもりです。

Watashi wa sofu no shigoto wo tsugu tsumori desu

I intend to follow my grandfather's work.

I will take on my grandfather's work.

• 私 - personal pronoun "I"
• は - topic particle, indicating that the subject of the sentence is "I"
• 祖父 - noun "grandfather"
• の - possessive particle, indicating that the grandfather is "mine"
• 仕事 - "work"
• を - direct object particle, indicating that work is the object of the action
• 継ぐ - verb "to continue", "successor"
• つもり - expression indicating intention or plan
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

私はその事件に関与していない。

Watashi wa sono jiken ni kan'yo shite inai

I am not involved in this incident.

I am not involved in the case.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• その - 日本語の指示代名詞で「それ」にあたるのは「あれ」です。
• 事件 - 日本語の名詞で「事件」または「ケース」を意味します。
• に - particle that indicates action or direction
• 関与 - Japanese verb that means "involvement" or "participation"
• していない - the negative form of the verb する (suru) means "to not do" or "to not be involved".

私は毎日の出来事を日記に記す。

Watashi wa mainichi no dekigoto wo nikki ni shirusu

I record daily events in a diary.

I write my daily events in my diary.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates that the subject of the sentence is "I"
• 毎日 - noun that means "every day"
• の - possessive particle that indicates that "every day" belongs to "exit"
• 出来事 - noun that means "event" or "occurrence"
• を - object particle that indicates that "event" is the direct object of the action "to write"
• 日記 - noun meaning "diary"
• に - particle indicating that "diary" is the destination of the action "to write"
• 記す - verb that means "to write" or "to record"

私は医療従事者です。

Watashi wa iryō jūjisha desu

I am a healthcare professional.

I am a health professional.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 医療 - word that means "health" or "medical care"
• 従事者 - word that means "professional" or "worker"
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

私たちは美味しい且つ健康的な食事を食べることが大切だと思います。

Watashitachi wa oishii katsu kenkō

I think it's important to eat delicious and healthy meals.

• 私たち - Personal pronoun "we"
• 美味しい - Adjective "delicious"
• 且つ - conjunction "and"
• 健康的な - adjective "healthy"
• 食事 - noun "meal"
• を - direct object" particle
• 食べる - verb "to eat"
• こと - noun "thing"
• が - subject" particle
• 大切 - adjective "important"
• だ - verb to be"
• と - quote" particle
• 思います - verb "to think"

細やかな気持ちでお返事いたします。

Hosoyaka na kimochi de ohenji itashimasu

I will answer with a detailed feeling.

• 細やかな - delicate, meticulous
• 気持ち - Feeling, Emotion
• で - particle that indicates means, manner
• お返事 - Reply
• いたします - courtesy expression indicating that the speaker will do something

給食は学校で提供される食事です。

Kyūshoku wa gakkō de teikyō sareru shokuji desu

Lunch is a meal provided at school.

• 給食 - Refers to school meals
• は - Topic marking particle
• 学校 - School
• で - Placeholder particle
• 提供される - To be supplied
• 食事 - Meal
• です - Sentence-ending particle

緊急事態には迅速な対応が必要です。

Kinkyū jitai ni wa jinsoku na taiō ga hitsuyō desu

In emergency situations

Emergency situations require an immediate response.

• 緊急事態 - emergency situation
• には - indication that something is necessary for a certain situation
• 迅速な - quick, nimble
• 対応 - answer, reaction
• が - subject particle
• 必要です - Is required

膨大な量の仕事があります。

Boudai na ryō no shigoto ga arimasu

There is an enormous amount of work.

• 膨大な - It means "enormous" or "vast".
• 量 - It means "quantity."
• の - it is a particle that indicates possession or attribution.
• 仕事 - It means "work" or "task".
• が - It is a particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• あります - It is the verb "to have" or "to exist" in a polite form.

製作は私たちの仕事です。

Seisaku wa watashitachi no shigoto desu

Production is our job.

Production is our job.

• 製作 (seisaku) - production, manufacturing
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 私たち (watashitachi) - we
• の (no) - Particle that indicates possession
• 仕事 (shigoto) - work, employment
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form