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:

この書類には重要な事項が含まれています。

Kono shorui ni wa juuyou na jikou ga fukumarete imasu

This document contains important matters.

• この書類 - This documentation
• には - have
• 重要な - important
• 事項 - Information
• が - are
• 含まれています - included

「ぞんざいな食事は好きじゃない。」

Zonzai na shokuji wa suki janai

I don't like a sloppy meal.

• ぞんざいな - adjective meaning "careless", "negligent", "sloppy".
• 食事 - noun meaning "meal".
• は - topic particle, which indicates that the subject of the sentence is "careless eating".
• 好き - adjective meaning "to like".
• じゃない - informal negation of the form "ではない", which means "it is not".

万事に順調に進みますように。

Banji ni junchō ni susumimasu yō ni

May all go well in all things.

Hope you do well.

• 万事 (banji) - all things
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the target or destination
• 順調 (junchou) - no problem, smoothly
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the manner or state
• 進みます (susumimasu) - Move forward, progress
• ように (you ni) - expression that indicates desire or hope

不可避の事実です。

Fukahin no jijitsu desu

It is an unavoidable fact.

• 不可避 - inevitable
• の - Possession particle
• 事実 - fact, truth
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

不幸な出来事が起こってしまった。

Fukou na dekigoto ga okotte shimatta

An unfortunate event occurred.

• 不幸な - unhappy, unlucky
• 出来事 - event, incident
• が - subject particle
• 起こってしまった - happened, occurred

予期せぬ出来事が起こった。

Yoki senu dekigoto ga okotta

An unexpected event has occurred.

An unexpected event has happened.

• 予期せぬ - Inesperado
• 出来事 - event, incident
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 起こった - happened, occurred

事務を担当しています。

Jimu wo tantou shiteimasu

I am in charge of administrative tasks.

I'm in charge of office work.

• 事務 - means "administrative work" or "office".
• を - direct object particle in Japanese.
• 担当 - means "responsible for" or "in charge of".
• しています - polite form of the verb "to do" in Japanese, indicating present continuous action.

人事を担当する部署に所属しています。

Jinji wo tantou suru busho ni shozoku shiteimasu

I belong to the department responsible for personnel matters.

I belong to a department in charge of HR.

• 人事 - Human resources
• を - object particle
• 担当する - Responsible for
• 部署 - Department
• に - Destination particle
• 所属しています - Is affiliated

仕事が捗る。

Shigoto ga hakaru

The work is progressing.

The work progresses.

• 仕事 - work
• が - subject particle
• 捗る - progress, advance

仕事が滞るとストレスが溜まる。

Shigoto ga todokoru to sutoresu ga tamaru

When the work gets still

When work is postponed, stress accumulates.

• 仕事 - work
• が - subject particle
• 滞る - to stand still, to stagnate
• と - Conjunction particle
• ストレス - stress
• が - subject particle
• 溜まる - accumulate, to accumulate