仕事が早い
Meaning: Works fast — a compliment for someone with an impressively quick turnaround on tasks.
Combines 仕事 (work) with が早い (is fast/early). While it literally means 'their work is fast,' in practice it is a concise compliment for efficiency and reliability. Used in both workplace and casual contexts — for the colleague who finishes reports in record time, the friend who immediately handles a request, or the creator who ships content at impressive speed.
Examples
- もう終わったの?仕事が早いね。 已经做完了?做事真快啊。¿Ya has terminado? Trabajas muy rápido.벌써 끝냈어? 일이 빠르네.
- この人仕事が早いから頼りになる。 这个人做事快,很靠得住。Esta persona trabaja rápido, así que se puede contar con ella.이 사람 일이 빠르니까 믿음직해.
- 仕事が早い上にクオリティも高いの最強じゃん。 做事快质量还高,简直无敌了。Que trabaje rápido y encima con calidad, eso es imbatible.일도 빠른데 퀄리티까지 높으면 최강이지.
Pronunciation
/shi.go.to.ga.ha.ja.i/
Usage Guide
Context: workplace, friends, social media, general conversation
Tone: appreciative, impressed
✓ Do Say
- 仕事が早いね、助かるよ。 (You work fast — that really helps.)做事真快啊,太帮忙了。(You work fast — that really helps.)Trabajas rápido, es de gran ayuda.일이 빠르네, 정말 도움이 돼. (일이 빠르네, 정말 고마워.)
- 仕事が早い人って信頼されるよね。 (People who work fast earn trust.)做事快的人容易赢得信任。(People who work fast earn trust.)La gente que trabaja rápido se gana la confianza de todos.일 빠른 사람은 신뢰받지. (일이 빠른 사람은 신뢰를 얻지.)
✗ Don't Say
- 「仕事が早い」だけだと雑と誤解されることも(「丁寧かつ早い」と言い添えると良い) (Just 'works fast' alone can be misread as 'rushes' — adding 'and carefully' avoids this)只说'做事快'可能被误解为'做得粗糙'——加上'而且做得仔细'会更好(Just 'works fast' alone can be misread as 'rushes' — adding 'and carefully' avoids this)Decir solo 'trabaja rápido' puede malinterpretarse como 'trabaja deprisa y corriendo' — añadir 'y con cuidado' evita esta confusión'일이 빠르다'만 말하면 대충 한다고 오해받을 수 있다 ('꼼꼼하면서도 빠르다'고 덧붙이면 좋다) ('일이 빠르다'만으로는 '대충 한다'로 오해될 수 있음 — '꼼꼼하면서도 빠르다'고 말하면 오해를 피할 수 있음)
Common Mistakes
- Using 仕事が早い without acknowledging quality — in some contexts it can imply the person rushes
Origin & History
Standard Japanese phrase 仕事 (work) + が早い (is fast). Has long been used as a workplace compliment. Its casual use expanded through social media where creators and professionals are praised for fast, high-quality output.
Cultural Context
Era: Traditional workplace compliment, amplified by social media
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A staple workplace compliment that also works well in casual settings.
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