職務

• Reading: しょくむ
• Romaji: shokumu
• Kanji breakdown: 職 (shoku) — employment, post, occupation; 務 (mu/tsuto) — duty, service
• Pronunciation: /ɕo.kɯ.mɯ/

Meaning

Professional duties; official responsibilities associated with a position.

A formal noun referring to the duties and responsibilities that come with a professional role or official position. More formal than 仕事 (shigoto, work) and specifically tied to one's role. Common in legal, HR, and administrative contexts. Often appears in compounds like 職務経歴書 (professional CV) and 職務質問 (police questioning).

Examples

1. 職務を全うするために最善を尽くす。 I will do my best to fulfill my professional duties.
2. 職務経歴書を書いて転職活動を始めた。 I wrote a resume outlining my professional history and started looking for a new job.
3. 警察官が駅前で職務質問を行っていた。 A police officer was conducting a stop-and-question at the station entrance.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, HR, legal, police

Tone: professional

Origin & History

Compound of 職 (shoku, employment/post) + 務 (mu, duty/service). Literally 'the duties of one's post,' emphasising the formal responsibilities inherent in a professional role.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Professional