仕事が早い

• Reading: しごとがはやい
• Romaji: shigoto ga hayai
• Kanji breakdown: 仕 (serve/do) + 事 (matter/thing) + が + 早 (early/fast) + い → work is fast
• Pronunciation: /shi.go.to.ga.ha.ja.i/

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

1. もう終わったの？仕事が早いね。 You're done already? You work fast.
2. この人仕事が早いから頼りになる。 This person works fast so you can really count on them.
3. 仕事が早い上にクオリティも高いの最強じゃん。 Working fast and delivering high quality on top of that? Unstoppable.

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.)
• 仕事が早い人って信頼されるよね。 (People who work fast earn trust.)

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)

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.