雇う

• Reading: やとう
• Romaji: yatou
• Kanji breakdown: 雇 (ko/yato) — employ, hire
• Pronunciation: /ja.toː/

Meaning

To employ; to hire. To engage someone for work in exchange for pay.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the う row. Used for hiring employees, workers, or contractors. The passive form 雇われる (to be employed) is common. Related words include 雇用 (employment, noun) and 雇い主 (employer). Covers both formal employment and casual hiring.

Examples

1. 会社は来月から新しいスタッフを雇う予定だ。 The company plans to hire new staff starting next month.
2. アルバイトを三人雇った。 We hired three part-time workers.
3. 外国語ができる人を雇いたい。 We want to hire someone who can speak foreign languages.

Usage Guide

Context: business, employment, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 雇 depicts a person (戸, door/household) under employ, with the original meaning relating to engaging someone from another household for service.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal