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.

Related words

領事

ryouji

cônsul

用事

youji

tasks; things to do

物事

monogoto

things; all

見事

migoto

splendid; magnificent; beautiful; admirable

返事

henji

無事

buji

security; peace; tranquility

百科事典

hyakkajiten

encyclopedia

判事

hanji

judge; judiciary

出来事

dekigoto

incident; case; happen; event

知事

chiji

Mayor

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.

Quick Access
- Vocabulary
- Writing
- Sentences

How to Write in Japanese - (事) koto

See below a step-by-step guide on how to write the word by hand in Japanese. (事) koto:

Example Sentences - (事) koto

See below some example sentences:

検事は法律を守るために働く。

Kenshi wa hōritsu o mamoru tame ni hataraku

Attorneys work to protect the law.

Prosecutors work to protect the law.

検事 - district Attorney
は - Topic particle
法律 - law
を - Direct object particle
守る - Protect
ために - For
働く - to work

百科事典は知識を広げるために役立ちます。

Bekka jiten wa chishiki o hirogeru tame ni yakuchimashita

The encyclopedia is useful to expand knowledge.

百科事典 - Encyclopedia
は - Topic particle
知識 - Knowledge
を - Direct object particle
広げる - expand
ために - For
役立ちます - To be useful

私は新しい仕事に就くことを決めました。

Watashi wa atarashii shigoto ni tsuku koto o kimemashita

I decided to take on a new job.

I decided to get a new job.

私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
新しい (atarashii) - 新しい (atarashii)
仕事 (shigoto) - 日本語の名詞で「仕事」という意味です。
に (ni) - particle that indicates the direction or target of an action
就く (tsuku) - Japanese verb that means "to assume" or "to start"
こと (koto) - Japanese noun that indicates an action or event
を (wo) - direct object particle that indicates the target of the action
決めました (kimemashita) - Japanese verb in the past that means "decided"

私はその仕事を辞退した。

Watashi wa sono shigoto wo jitai shita

I turned down that job.

私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
その (sono) - 日本語の指示代名詞で「それ」にあたるのは「あれ」です。
仕事 (shigoto) - 日本語の名詞で「仕事」という意味です。
を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "work".
辞退した (jitai shita) - Japanese verb that means "to refuse" or "to decline," conjugated in the past.

私はその仕事に勤まると思います。

Watashi wa sono shigoto ni tsutsumaru to omoimasu

I believe I can do this work.

I think I'm going to work for this work.

私 (watashi) - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
その (sono) - demonstrative pronoun meaning "that"
仕事 (shigoto) - noun that means "work"
に (ni) - particle that indicates the function or the destination of an action
勤まる (tsutsumaru) - verb that means "to be able to do" or "to be suitable for"
と (to) - particle that indicates the direct quotation of a phrase or thought
思います (omoimasu) - verb meaning "to think" or "to believe"

私はその仕事を引き受けるつもりです。

Watashi wa sono shigoto o hikiukeru tsumori desu

I intend to take this work.

I will accept this work.

私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
その (sono) - demonstrative pronoun meaning "that"
仕事 (shigoto) - noun that means "work"
を (wo) - particle indicating the direct object of the sentence, in this case "work"
引き受ける (hikiukeru) - verb meaning "to assume" or "to accept"
つもり (tsumori) - expression that indicates the intention to do something
です (desu) - auxiliary verb indicating a polite or respectful way of speaking

私は毎日家事をします。

Watashi wa mainichi kaji o shimasu

I do the household tasks every day.

I do housework every day.

私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
毎日 (mainichi) - adverb meaning "every day"
家事 (kaji) - noun that means "household chores"
を (wo) - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "household chores"
します (shimasu) - verb that means "to do"

私は仕事と家庭を兼ねることができます。

Watashi wa shigoto to katei wo kaneru koto ga dekimasu

I can reconcile work and family.

I can serve as work and home.

私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
仕事 (shigoto) - noun that means "work"
と (to) - particle indicating a connection between two things
家庭 (katei) - noun meaning "family" or "home"
を (wo) - Particle that marks the direct object of the sentence
兼ねる (kaneru) - verb meaning "to reconcile" or "to bring together"
ことができます (koto ga dekimasu) - expression that indicates ability or capacity, meaning "to be able to"

私は不幸な出来事に遭いました。

Watashi wa fukou na dekigoto ni auimashita

I encountered an unfortunate situation.

I have an unfortunate event.

私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
は (wa) - topic particle in Japanese, indicates the theme of the sentence
不幸な (fukou na) - unfortunate
出来事 (dekigoto) - noun that means "event" or "occurrence"
に (ni) - particle that indicates action or destination
遭いました (awai mashita) - The verb that means "to find" or "to go through," conjugated in the polite past tense is "見つけました" (mitsukemashita) or "通りました" (toorimashita) depending on the specific meaning.