Translation and Meaning of: 働く - hataraku

Etimology of 「働く」

The word 「働く」 (hataraku) is defined as "to work" or "to function" in Japanese. Etymologically, the term is composed of the Kanji 「働」, which combines two components. The left side of the Kanji is the radical 「亻」, meaning "person," and the right part 「動」 means "to move." This combination reflects the idea of a person in activity, which aligns perfectly with the concept of work.

Definition and Context of Use

In the Japanese language, 「働く」 (hataraku) is widely used to describe work activities, whether they are physical or mental. It is often applied to refer to both formal employment and any form of laborious activity. Additionally, the word can be used to express the functionality of machines or systems, suggesting that something is "working" or "operating" effectively. This term is versatile and commonly used in the daily life of Japanese speakers.

History and Evolution

Historically, the introduction of Kanji in Japanese writing played a crucial role in the development of the language. 「働く」 evolved in the historical context of Japan, where society experienced significant transformations over the centuries, affecting the cultural perception of work. Initially connected to manual and operational activities, over time, the concept of work in 「働く」 expanded to incorporate various spheres, from industrial to intellectual roles. This evolution is reflected in the way the term is used in contemporary discussions about employment and careers in Japan.

Curiosities about "働く"

• The expression 「働き者」 (hataraki-mono) is used to describe a hardworking or diligent person, highlighting someone with a strong work ethic.
• In Japanese culture, work is a central part of the identity and daily life of many people, and 「働く」 is a word that captures this fundamental aspect.
• Japan is known for the concept of "Karōshi" (過労死), which means "death from overwork," highlighting the cultural impact of the term 「働く」 in discussions about health and work-life balance.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 労働する (Roudou suru) - Work, usually in the context of physical or hard labor.
• 勤める (Tsutomeru) - Working in a company or institution, emphasizing the position or role performed.
• 就労する (Shuurou suru) - Engage in work, often used in legal or formal contexts.
• 勤務する (Kinmu suru) - Perform functions or duties in a position, focusing on responsibility and work schedule.
• 仕事する (Shigoto suru) - Perform tasks or work; it can be used in informal contexts.
• 働きかける (Hatarakikakeru) - To influence or actively interact, not limiting oneself only to the work itself.

働く

Romaji: hataraku
Kana: はたらく
Type: Noun, Verb
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: work; job; do; act; commit oneself; practice; work; come into play; be conjugated; reduce the price

Meaning in English: to work;to labor;to do;to act;to commit;to practise;to work on;to come into play;to be conjugated;to reduce the price

Definition: work, perform work.

Example Sentences - (働く) hataraku

See below some example sentences:

勤勉に働くことが成功への鍵です。

Kinben ni hataraku koto ga seikou e no kagi desu

Working diligently is the key to success.

Working hard is the key to success.

• 勤勉に - diligent, hardworking
• 働くこと - trabalhar
• 成功への - to the success
• 鍵 - chave

政府は国民のために働くべきです。

Seifu wa kokumin no tame ni hataraku beki desu

The government must work for the people.

• 政府 (seifu) - government
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 国民 (kokumin) - citizens, people
• のために (no tame ni) - for, for the benefit of
• 働く (hataraku) - trabalhar
• べきです (beki desu) - should, should

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 - Promotor
• は - Topic particle
• 法律 - Lei
• を - Direct object particle
• 守る - Proteger
• ために - For
• 働く - Trabalhar

坊さんはお寺で働いています。

Bōsan wa otera de hataraite imasu

The monk works in the temple.

The monk works in a temple.

• 坊さん - means "monk" in Japanese
• は - Topic particle
• お寺 - means "temple" in Japanese
• で - Location particle
• 働いています - means "work" in Japanese, conjugated in the present continuous tense

働きが大切です。

Hataraki ga taisetsu desu

Working is important.

Work is important.

• 働き (hataraki) - work, employment
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 大切 (taisetsu) - important, valuable
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

働きは人生の重要な要素です。

Hataraki wa jinsei no juuyou na youso desu

Work is an important element in life.

Work is an important factor in life.

• 働き - work
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 人生 - life
• の - Particle that indicates possession
• 重要な - important
• 要素 - element
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

県庁には多くの役人が働いています。

Kencho ni wa ooku no yakunin ga hataraite imasu

Many employees work in the city hall office.

• 県庁 - provincial government building
• に - particle indicating location
• は - Topic particle
• 多く - many
• の - Possession particle
• 役人 - civil servants
• が - subject particle
• 働いています - are working

私は会社で働いています。

Watashi wa kaisha de hataraite imasu

I work at a company.

I work at the company.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 会社 (kaisha) - noun meaning "company"
• で (de) - particle indicating the place where the action occurs, in this case "at the company"
• 働いています (hataraitteimasu) - verb that means "to work" in the present continuous, indicating that the action is ongoing

私は長時間働いた後にはばてる。

Watashi wa choujikan hataraita ato ni wa bateru

I get exhausted after working for a long time.

After working for a long time.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 長時間 (choujikan) - noun meaning "long period of time"
• 働いた (hataraita) - past tense verb meaning "I worked"
• 後に (ato ni) - expression meaning "after"
• はばてる (habateru) - verb meaning "to be exhausted"

私の父は工場で働いています。

Watashi no chichi wa koujou de hataraite imasu

My father works in a factory.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 父 (chichi) - means "father" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 工場 (koujou) - means "factory" in Japanese
• で (de) - Particle that indicates the place where the action occurs
• 働いています (hataraitteimasu) - means "is working" in Japanese