残業

• Reading: ざんぎょう
• Romaji: zangyou
• Kanji breakdown: 残 (zan) — remain, left over; 業 (gyou) — work, business, industry
• Pronunciation: /za.ɴ.gʲoː/

Meaning

Overtime work. Working beyond regular business hours.

Functions as a noun or する verb (残業する). A culturally significant term in Japan, where long working hours have been a social issue. Recent 働き方改革 (hatarakikata kaikaku, work-style reform) efforts aim to reduce excessive 残業. 残業代 (zangyoudai) means overtime pay.

Examples

1. 今日も残業しなければならない。 I have to work overtime again today.
2. 最近、残業が多くて疲れています。 I've been working a lot of overtime lately, so I'm tired.
3. 残業なしで帰れる日は嬉しいです。 Days when I can go home without overtime make me happy.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, work-life balance, social issues

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 残 (zan, remain/left over) and 業 (gyou, work/business). Literally means remaining work — the work left over after regular hours.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Working age

Social background: Working class