終身雇用
Significado: The lifetime employment system where employees work at one company from graduation until retirement.
終身雇用 was one of the three pillars of Japan's postwar economic miracle, along with seniority-based pay and enterprise unions. Workers would join a company straight out of university and stay until retirement at 60-65, receiving steady promotions and pay increases. While this system is declining — especially after Toyota's CEO publicly questioned its sustainability in 2019 — it still shapes Japanese workplace expectations and is a frequent topic of debate.
Ejemplos
- 終身雇用なんてもう崩壊してるのに、親はまだ信じてる。 终身雇用制都已经崩溃了,可我爸妈还深信不疑。El empleo vitalicio ya se ha desmoronado, pero mis padres siguen creyendo en él.종신고용 같은 건 이미 무너졌는데 부모님은 아직도 믿고 계셔.
- 大企業の終身雇用に守られてる人が正直うらやましい。 说实话挺羡慕在大企业受终身雇用制庇护的人。Sinceramente, envidio a los que están protegidos por el empleo vitalicio en las grandes empresas.대기업의 종신고용에 보호받고 있는 사람들이 솔직히 부러워.
- 終身雇用が当たり前じゃなくなったから、スキルアップが大事だよね。 既然终身雇用不再是理所当然的事了,提升自身技能就很重要了。Ahora que el empleo vitalicio ya no es la norma, formarse y mejorar habilidades es fundamental, ¿no?종신고용이 당연하지 않게 된 만큼 스킬업이 중요하지.
Pronunciación
/ɕuː.ɕin ko.joː/
Guía de uso
Contexto: career discussions, news, social commentary
Tono: analytical, sometimes nostalgic or critical
✓ Correcto
- 終身雇用の時代はもう終わったって言われてるよね。 (They say the era of lifetime employment is over.)都说终身雇用的时代已经结束了呢。(大家都说终身雇用制的时代已经过去了。)Dicen que la era del empleo vitalicio ha terminado, ¿no?종신고용 시대는 이미 끝났다고들 하잖아. (종신고용의 시대는 끝났다고들 하지.)
- 終身雇用があるから安心してローン組めたんだけどな。 (I could take out a mortgage with peace of mind because of lifetime employment.)正因为有终身雇用,当初才能安心贷款买房的呢。(因为有终身雇用制,我才能安心办房贷的。)Gracias al empleo vitalicio pude pedir una hipoteca con tranquilidad.종신고용이 있으니까 안심하고 대출을 받을 수 있었는데. (종신고용 덕분에 안심하고 주택담보대출을 받을 수 있었는데.)
✗ Incorrecto
- 若い世代に「終身雇用がいい」と押し付けない (Don't push lifetime employment as ideal on younger generations — many prefer flexibility)不要向年轻一代灌输'终身雇用制最好'的观念(不要把终身雇用制作为理想强加给年轻人——很多人更喜欢灵活的工作方式)No impongas el empleo vitalicio como ideal a las generaciones jóvenes: muchos prefieren la flexibilidad.젊은 세대에게 '종신고용이 최고'라고 강요하지 말 것 (젊은 세대에게 종신고용을 이상적이라고 밀어붙이지 마라 — 많은 이들이 유연함을 선호한다)
Errores comunes
- Assuming 終身雇用 is completely dead — many large Japanese companies still practice it to some degree
- Thinking it's a legal requirement — it was always a cultural practice, not a law
Origen e historia
A postwar Japanese employment practice formalized in the 1950s-1960s. The term combines 終身 (lifetime) and 雇用 (employment). Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda's 2019 statement that 'lifetime employment is difficult to maintain' marked a symbolic turning point.
Contexto cultural
Era: 1950s-1960s establishment, declining since 1990s
Generation: All ages (debated across generations)
Social background: Primarily large corporations and government
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Increasingly discussed in contrast to the growing freelance and job-hopping culture.
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