過労死

• Reading: かろうし
• Romaji: karōshi
• Kanji breakdown: 過 (excess) + 労 (labor) + 死 (death) → death from excessive labor
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɾoː.ɕi/

Meaning

Death caused by overwork — typically from heart failure, stroke, or suicide due to excessive work hours and stress.

過労死 is a uniquely Japanese term that has been adopted into English and other languages because the phenomenon was first widely recognized in Japan. The term became prominent in the 1980s during Japan's bubble economy when extreme overwork was common. The government officially recognizes 過労死 as a cause of death and has established legal criteria (generally over 80 hours of overtime per month) for compensation. Despite decades of awareness campaigns and legislation, cases continue to occur.

Examples

1. 過労死ラインって月80時間残業のことだよね。 The karoshi threshold is 80 hours of overtime per month, right?
2. また大企業で過労死のニュースが出てたよ。 There was another karoshi case at a major corporation in the news.
3. 過労死が出ても会社の体質が変わらないのが問題だよね。 The problem is that even after a karoshi case, the company culture doesn't change.

Usage Guide

Context: news, social commentary, labor discussions

Tone: serious, grave

Do Say

• 過労死が出るような働き方はもうやめるべきだよ。 (We need to stop working in ways that lead to death from overwork.)
• 過労死ラインを超えてたら、すぐに上に相談して。 (If you're over the karoshi line, talk to someone above you immediately.)

Don't Say

• 過労死を冗談にしない — 「死ぬほど働いてる」は軽く聞こえる (Don't joke about karoshi — saying 'I'm working to death' trivializes a real issue)

Common Mistakes

• Using 過労死 casually or as hyperbole — it's a serious term describing actual deaths and should not be used lightly

Origin & History

First documented in the late 1960s-1970s, the term became widely known in the 1980s. Japan established the 過労死等防止対策推進法 (Karoshi Prevention Act) in 2014. The word has been borrowed into English as 'karoshi.'

Cultural Context

Era: 1980s mainstream awareness, recognized since 1960s

Generation: All ages (universally known)

Social background: Affects all workers, especially in high-pressure industries

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the few Japanese words adopted internationally, reflecting the severity of Japan's overwork culture.