Translation and Meaning of: 分業 - bungyou

The Japanese word 「分業」 (bungyou) refers to the concept of division of labor, where specific tasks are distributed among different individuals or groups to increase efficiency and productivity. This practice is common in modern organizational environments and has deep historical roots. The idea is essential for understanding how human societies have developed through the specialization of functions.

Etymologically, 「分」 (bun) means "division" or "separation," while 「業」 (gyou) refers to "work" or "activity." The radical 「刂」 in the kanji for dividing and 「业」 in work, in archaic Chinese, show the evolution of this concept. Therefore, the combination of these characters results in the idea of dividing tasks within a work process. Historically, this division began to become more sophisticated during the Industrial Revolution, when mass production required workers to focus on specialized tasks to increase output.

In practice, the concept of 「分業」 is widely applied in various fields, from manufacturing to service sectors. An interesting example comes from the automotive industry, where the assembly line production introduced by Henry Ford perfectly illustrates the principle of division of labor. Each worker is responsible for a specific task on the assembly line, increasing efficiency and reducing production times.

The importance of 「分業」 in modern society cannot be underestimated. It allows individuals to delve deeper and specialize in their areas of expertise, leading to both innovation and process improvement. Additionally, the division of labor contributes to the creation of diverse jobs and sustainable economic growth, being one of the pillars of strong and resilient economies. The idea of specialization also brings with it an incentive for continuous learning and the development of specific skills that are essential for individual and collective progress.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 仕事分担 (Shigoto buntan) - Division of specific labor
• 作業分担 (Sagyou buntan) - Task/procedure division
• 仕事の分担 (Shigoto no buntan) - Division of labor in general
• 作業の分担 (Sagyou no buntan) - Division of tasks in a more specific context

分業

Romaji: bungyou
Kana: ぶんぎょう
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: Division of Labour; Specialization; assembly line production

Meaning in English: division of labor;specialization;assembly-line production

Definition: Divide multiple tasks and tasks into specialized fields.