Work & Business

仕事しごとが終わったらおわったら、一緒いっしょに食事しょくじに行きいきましょう。

When work finishes, let's go and eat together.

Usage 仕事 is work or a job in general; 職業 (しょくぎょう) is the occupation you write on a form. たら marks 'once X happens'.

Remember it 仕 (to serve) + 事 (matter). The matters you serve — your work.

会社かいしゃを立ち上げるたちあげるのは大変たいへんですが、夢ゆめがあります。

Starting a company is hard, but there's a dream in it.

Usage A classic N3 trap: 会社 = company, but flip the kanji and 社会 (しゃかい) = society. Same two characters, completely different word.

Remember it 会 (to meet) + 社 (company, shrine). The place people gather to work.

弁護士べんごしの事務所じむしょに相談そうだんに行きいきました。

I went to a lawyer's office for a consultation.

Usage 事務所 is an office for professionals — lawyers, accountants, architects. A company workplace is オフィス or just 会社. 相談する = to consult.

Remember it 事務 (clerical work) + 所 (place). The place the paperwork happens.

午後ごごから重要じゅうような会議かいぎがあります。

There's an important meeting from this afternoon.

Usage 会議に出る = to attend a meeting, 会議室 = meeting room. A smaller informal work discussion is a 打ち合わせ (うちあわせ).

Remember it 会 (to meet) + 議 (to discuss). Meeting in order to discuss.

上司じょうしに報告書ほうこくしょを提出ていしゅつしました。

I submitted the report to my boss.

Usage 上司 and 部下 mark rank; 先輩 and 後輩 mark who joined first. Japanese offices track both at once. 提出する = to submit.

Remember it 上 (above) + 司 (to administer). The one administering from above.

部下ぶかの育成いくせいは上司じょうしの大切たいせつな役割やくわりです。

Developing your team members is an important role for a manager.

Usage 部下 is neutral in Japanese, without the chilly ring English 'subordinate' can carry. 役割 (やくわり) = a role, 育成 = developing people.

Remember it 部 (a section, a department) + 下 (below). Those below you in the section.

新しいあたらしい職場しょくばの雰囲気ふんいきにもだいぶ慣れてなれてきました。

I've grown fairly used to the atmosphere at my new workplace.

Usage 職場 is the physical place you work; 会社 is the company as an organisation. 職場環境 = the working environment.

Remember it 職 (post, duty) + 場 (place). The place where you carry out your duties.

社長しゃちょうが全員ぜんいんに向けてむけてスピーチすぴーちをしました。

The president gave a speech to all the staff.

Usage Japanese ranks stack with 長 (ちょう, chief): 社長 (president), 部長 (department head), 課長 (section head), 店長 (store manager).

Remember it 社 (company) + 長 (chief). The chief of the company.

この会社かいしゃの社員しゃいんは全部ぜんぶで百人ひゃくにんいます。

This company has a hundred employees in total.

Usage 員 marks a member of an organisation: 社員, 会社員, 駅員, 店員. 正社員 (せいしゃいん), a permanent employee, is a loaded word in Japan.

Remember it 社 (company) + 員 (member). A member of the company.

新しいあたらしいアパートあぱーとの契約けいやくを結んだむすんだ。

I signed the contract for the new flat.

Usage 契約を結ぶ (むすぶ) = to conclude a contract — the verb is 'to tie', not 'to sign'. 契約社員 is a contract employee, as against 正社員.

Remember it 契 (a pledge) + 約 (a promise). Both halves mean promise; together they bind.

業務ぎょうむの効率こうりつを上げるあげるために、システムを導入どうにゅうしました。

We introduced a system in order to improve the efficiency of operations.

Usage 業務 is operations or duties in corporate register; 仕事 is the everyday word for the same thing. 効率 = efficiency, 導入する = to bring in.

Remember it 業 (business, undertaking) + 務 (duty). The duties of the business.

来週らいしゅう大阪おおさかに出張しゅっちょうに行くいく予定です。

I'm due to go to Osaka on a business trip next week.

Usage 出張に行く = to go on a business trip, and 出張する works alone as a verb. Never use 旅行 for this — that is travel for pleasure.

Remember it 出 (to go out) + 張 (to stretch out). Stretching yourself out of the office.

今日きょうは残業ざんぎょうがあって、帰りかえりが遅くなりおそくなります。

I have overtime today, so I'll be home late.

Usage 残業する = to work overtime. サービス残業 means unpaid overtime — a grim use of サービス in its Japanese sense of 'free of charge'.

Remember it 残 (to remain) + 業 (work). The work left over after hours.

夏休みなつやすみに一週間いっしゅうかんの休暇きゅうかを取りとりました。

I took a week's leave during the summer holidays.

Usage 休暇 is formal leave from work, while 休み is any break at all. 有給休暇 (ゆうきゅうきゅうか) = paid leave, usually shortened to 有給.

Remember it 休 (rest) + 暇 (free time). The 暇 you met back in the time lesson, made official.

会議かいぎの資料しりょうを人数分にんずうぶん印刷いんさつしておいてください。

Please print copies of the meeting materials for everyone.

Usage 資料 means reference materials or data; 書類 means paperwork with a procedural purpose. 資料を作る is heard constantly in Japanese offices.

Remember it 資 (resources) + 料 (material). The same 料 as in 材料 and 料金.

今年のボーナスぼーなすは去年きょねんより多いおおいそうです。

They say this year's bonus is bigger than last year's.

Usage Japanese bonuses come twice a year, in summer and winter, and often run to several months' salary — a normal part of pay, not a rare reward. そうです = I hear that.

Remember it From English 'bonus', four mora: ぼ-お-な-す.

今年ことし課長かちょうに昇進しょうしんしました。

I was promoted to section chief this year.

Usage 昇進する takes に for the new rank: 課長に昇進する. Do not confuse it with 昇給 (しょうきゅう), which is a pay rise.

Remember it 昇 (to rise) + 進 (to advance). Rising and advancing at once.

ミスみすが続いてつづいて降格こうかく処分を受けうけました。

After a run of mistakes, I was demoted.

Usage 降格 is the opposite of 昇進. The same 降 appears in 降りる (to get off) and 降る (to fall as rain). 処分 = a disciplinary measure.

Remember it 降 (to descend) + 格 (rank, standing). Coming down a rank.

定年ていねんで退職たいしょくするまで、三十年間さんじゅうねんかん同じおなじ会社かいしゃに勤めつとめました。

I worked at the same company for thirty years until retiring at the mandatory age.

Usage 退職 is leaving a job at any point; 定年 (ていねん) is the mandatory retirement age. 勤める (つとめる) = to be employed somewhere, and takes に.

Remember it 退 (to withdraw) + 職 (a post). The same 退 as 退院 and 退学.

新卒しんそつ採用さいようの面接めんせつが始まりはじまりました。

Interviews for new graduate hiring have started.

Usage 新卒採用 is Japan's system of hiring whole cohorts of new graduates at once, with no real Western equivalent. 採用する also means to adopt an idea.

Remember it 採 (to pick, to gather) + 用 (to use). Picking someone to put to use.

初対面しょたいめんの方かたとは、まず名刺めいしを交換こうかんします。

With someone you're meeting for the first time, you exchange business cards first.

Usage Exchanging 名刺 has its own etiquette: offer and receive with both hands, read the card properly, then put it away carefully — never straight in a pocket.

Remember it 名 (name) + 刺 (an old word for a name slip). A slip bearing your name.

応募おうぼする前まえに履歴書りれきしょを準備じゅんびしてください。

Please prepare a CV before applying.

Usage The Japanese 履歴書 is a rigid standard form with fixed fields and a photo, traditionally handwritten — not a free-form Western CV. 応募する = to apply.

Remember it 履歴 (a personal record) + 書 (a document). The same 歴 as in 学歴.

入社にゅうしゃしてすぐ、一ヶ月ひとつきの研修けんしゅうがありました。

Right after joining the company, there was a month of training.

Usage 研修 is formal training run by an employer; 練習 is practice you do yourself. 入社する (にゅうしゃ) = to join a company.

Remember it 研 (to polish, to study) + 修 (to master). Polishing someone into shape.

この工場こうじょうでは一日いちにちに千台せんだいの車くるまを生産せいさんしています。

This factory produces a thousand cars a day.

Usage 生産する = to produce, 生産性 (せいさんせい) = productivity. Machines and vehicles are counted with 台 (だい): 千台.

Remember it 生 (to give life) + 産 (to bear, to yield). Bringing into being.

新商品しんしょうひんの販売はんばいを来月らいげつから開始かいしする予定よていです。

We plan to start selling the new product next month.

Usage 販売 is selling as a business activity, セール is a sale event, 売る is the plain verb. 販売店 = a dealership, 開始する = to commence.

Remember it 販 (to trade) + 売 (to sell). Trading and selling together.

デジタルマーケティングは現代げんだいビジネスびじねすに欠かせかかせない手法しゅほうだ。

Digital marketing is an indispensable method in modern business.

Usage Business English enters Japanese wholesale: マーケティング, プレゼン, アポ, コスト. 欠かせない = indispensable, 手法 (しゅほう) = a method.

Remember it From English 'marketing', kept at full length — business jargon tends to resist the usual clipping.

今期こんきの利益りえきは前年比ぜんねんひで20%増加ぞうかした。

This period's profit rose twenty percent year on year.

Usage 利益 = profit, and its opposite is 損失. 前年比 (ぜんねんひ) = compared with the previous year, standard phrasing in business reports.

Remember it 利 (gain, advantage) + 益 (benefit). Two profit kanji stacked.

台風たいふうで農作物のうさくもつに大きなおおきな損失そんしつが出たでた。

The typhoon caused major losses to crops.

Usage 損失 is a formal loss of money or value; 損 (そん) alone is the everyday word, as in 損をする = to lose out. Opposite of 利益.

Remember it 損 (to damage) + 失 (to lose). The same 失 as in 失業 and 失敗.

プロジェクトぷろじぇくとの予算よさんを超えないこえないように管理かんりする。

We manage the project so as not to exceed the budget.

Usage 予 marks anything done in advance and heads a useful family: 予算, 予定, 予約, 予習, 予防. 超える (こえる) = to exceed.

Remember it 予 (beforehand) + 算 (to calculate). Calculating ahead of time.

将来しょうらいのために株かぶや不動産ふどうさんに投資とうしする人ひとが増えてふえている。

More people are investing in shares and property for the future.

Usage 投資する takes に for the target: 株に投資する. 投資家 (とうしか) = an investor, 株 (かぶ) = shares, 不動産 = real estate.

Remember it 投 (to throw) + 資 (funds). Throwing your funds at something.

あの会社かいしゃとは長年ながねん取引とりひきがありますあります。

We have done business with that company for many years.

Usage 取引先 (とりひきさき) means a client or partner company, and you will hear it constantly in a Japanese office. 長年 (ながねん) = for many years.

Remember it 取る (to take) + 引く (to pull). Give and take — a transaction.

顧客こきゃく満足度まんぞくどを高めるたかめることが会社かいしゃの目標もくひょうです。

Raising customer satisfaction is the company's goal.

Usage 顧客 is the formal written word; staff say お客様 (おきゃくさま) to and about customers. 満足度 = satisfaction level, 高める = to raise.

Remember it 顧 (to look back on, to regard) + 客 (a guest). The guest you keep looking after.

原材料げんざいりょうの供給きょうきゅうが不足ふそくして生産せいさんが滞ったとどこおった。

A shortage in the supply of raw materials held up production.

Usage 供給 pairs with 需要 in the set phrase 需要と供給 (supply and demand). 不足する = to be insufficient, 滞る (とどこおる) = to stagnate.

Remember it 供 (to offer) + 給 (to provide). Both halves mean handing something over.

夏なつは冷房れいぼう需要じゅようが急増きゅうぞうする。

Demand for air conditioning surges in summer.

Usage 需要 is demand in the economic sense, not a personal request. Learn it together with 供給. 急増する = to surge, 冷房 = air conditioning.

Remember it 需 (a requirement) + 要 (necessary). What is required and needed.

値段ねだんより品質ひんしつを重視じゅうしする消費者しょうひしゃが増えてふえている。

More consumers value quality over price.

Usage 重視する (じゅうし) = to place weight on something, a common N3 verb. 消費者 (しょうひしゃ) = consumer, and より marks what is being outranked.

Remember it 品 (goods) + 質 (substance, nature). What the goods are actually made of.

このホテルのサービスさーびすは素晴らしいすばらしいです。

The service at this hotel is wonderful.

Usage False friend worth knowing: サービス often means free of charge. サービスします = 'I'll throw that in for nothing', and サービス残業 is unpaid overtime.

Remember it From English 'service', but Japanese added the sense of something given gratis.

自分じぶんの行動こうどうに責任せきにんを持つもつことが大人おとなの証あかしだ。

Taking responsibility for your own actions is the mark of an adult.

Usage 責任を持つ = to bear responsibility; 責任を取る = to take the blame for a failure, often by resigning. 証 (あかし) = proof or mark.

Remember it 責 (to blame, to demand) + 任 (a duty). The duty you can be held to.

目標もくひょうに向かってむかって努力どりょくし続けるつづけることが大切たいせつです。

It is important to keep making an effort toward your goal.

Usage 努力する = to make an effort. 努力家 (どりょくか) describes a hard worker and is a genuine compliment in Japan. 向かって = heading toward.

Remember it 努 (to strive) + 力 (strength). Straining your strength.

長年ながねんの努力どりょくが実りみのり、プロジェクトぷろじぇくとが成功せいこうしました。

Years of effort bore fruit and the project succeeded.

Usage 成功する takes に for what you succeed at: 実験に成功する. Its opposite is 失敗する. 実る (みのる) = to bear fruit, literally and figuratively.

Remember it 成 (to accomplish) + 功 (an achievement). Accomplishing something that counts.

失敗しっぱいを恐れずおそれずに挑戦ちょうせんすることが大切たいせつです。

It is important to take on challenges without fearing failure.

Usage 失敗する = to fail at something specific; as a noun it means a mistake. The same 失 gives 失業 and 失礼. 恐れず = without fearing, 挑戦 = a challenge.

Remember it 失 (to lose) + 敗 (defeat). Losing and being beaten.