拘束時間

• Reading: こうそくじかん
• Romaji: kousokujikan
• Kanji breakdown: 拘 (kou) — arrest, seize, bind; 束 (soku) — bundle, bind, restrain; 時 (ji) — time, hour; 間 (kan) — interval, between
• Pronunciation: /koː.so.kɯ.dʑi.kaɴ/

Meaning

Total working hours; time bound to work. The total period during which an employee is required to be at their workplace.

A compound noun combining 拘束 (kousoku, restraint/binding) and 時間 (jikan, time) to describe the total time a worker is required to be at their workplace, including breaks and standby time. Distinct from 労働時間 (roudou jikan, actual working hours), as 拘束時間 includes all time spent at the workplace. An important concept in Japanese labour law discussions, particularly regarding overwork culture and work-life balance.

Examples

1. この仕事は拘束時間が長いのが難点だ。 The downside of this job is the long hours you're required to be on-site.
2. 拘束時間と実際の労働時間は異なる。 Total required time and actual working hours are different.
3. 拘束時間を減らすために働き方を見直した。 We reviewed our work practices in order to reduce the time employees are bound to the workplace.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, labour law, HR, work-life balance

Tone: professional

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 拘束 (kousoku, restraint/binding) + 時間 (jikan, time). Literally 'bound time' — the period during which one is bound to the workplace.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Working professionals