How to Say "Coworker" in Japanese

同僚

dōryō[do̞ːɾʲo̞ː]

The Japanese word for coworker is 同僚 (dōryō).

同僚 is used to refer to peers or colleagues within the same professional circle or organization.

Meaning: somebody with whom one works (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of 同 (same) and 僚 (colleague/companion).

Unlike the English word 'coworker', 同僚 specifically implies someone of a similar rank or status, rather than just anyone working at the same company.

dōryō

Because 同僚 implies equal rank, calling a superior a 同僚 can be interpreted as a subtle insult or a deliberate way to undermine their authority.
The word 同僚 shares the same kanji for 'same' (同) as the word 同級生 (dōkyūsei), which means a classmate. This creates a linguistic link between professional peers and school peers in the Japanese mind.
The phonetic origins of 同僚 trace back to Middle Chinese, where the combination of 'same' and 'companion' was already used to denote official peers.

同僚はさ、上司へのおべっかの使い方ってのが実によく分かってるんだ。
My coworker really knows how to suck up to the boss.
This sentence uses 同僚 to show how a coworker might behave toward a boss.
Tatoeba #3576068 by arnab, translation #554939 by darinmex
彼は同僚に足をすくわれた。
His coworker pulled the rug out from under him.
This sentence uses 同僚 to describe someone being undermined by a coworker.
Tatoeba #2805576 by jd, translation #2805570 by jd
今日は同僚たちと会議があります。
We have a meeting with our coworkers today.
私は素晴らしい仕事仲間に恵まれています。
I am blessed with wonderful coworkers.
同じ職場の人たちと食事に行きました。
I went out for a meal with some coworkers.
今日のランチは仕事仲間と一緒に食べました。
I had lunch with my coworkers today.
新しい同僚を紹介します。
Atarashii douryō o shōkai shimasu.
I will introduce my new coworker.

Two friends are talking about work at a cafe.

陽葵 Himari

会社に新しい同僚ができたの？
Kaisha ni atarashii douryō ga dekita no?
Did you get a new coworker at the company?
陽太 Yota

うん、すごく親切な同僚だよ。
Un, sugoku shinsetsu na douryō dayo.
Yeah, she is a very kind coworker.
陽葵 Himari

それは良かったね。
Sore wa yokatta ne.
That's good to hear.
陽太 Yota

仕事がしやすくなったよ。
Shigoto ga shiyasuku natta yo.
It's much easier to work now.

Sources

Wiktionary, “coworker” translations and entries 同僚, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries 同僚, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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