働く

• Reading: はたらく
• Romaji: hataraku
• Kanji breakdown: 働 (dou/hatara) — to work (kokuji: Japanese-made kanji)
• Pronunciation: /ha.ta.ɾa.kɯ/

Meaning

To work; to labour. The primary verb for employment and physical work.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb with a k-stem. Used for both employment (会社で働く) and physical effort. The kanji 働 is notable as a Japanese-made kanji (国字, kokuji) not found in Chinese. Often paired with place + で to indicate workplace.

Examples

1. 父は銀行で働いています。 My father works at a bank.
2. 毎日八時間働きます。 I work eight hours every day.
3. 来年から東京で働きたい。 I want to work in Tokyo starting next year.

Usage Guide

Context: work, career, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 働 is a Japanese-made character (国字), combining 人 (person) and 動 (to move). It was created in Japan to represent the concept of a person in motion — working.

Cultural Context

Era: Heian period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal