仕事
shigoto[ɕiɡo̞to̞]
The English phrase task can be translated into Japanese as 仕事 (shigoto) or 課題.
Meaning: piece of work done as part of one’s duties (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 仕事 | shigoto | [ɕiɡo̞to̞] (narrow) |
| 課題 | kadai | [ka̠da̠i] (narrow) |
仕事 is the most general and widely used term for work or job in Japanese.
Which one should you use?
仕事 refers to general work or one's occupation. In contrast, 課題 is used for specific tasks, assignments or problems that need to be addressed or solved. While 仕事 is the most common way to refer to work or a job, 課題 implies a specific mission or a task that is part of a larger project or study.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 仕事 does not change its form to indicate plurality. The context determines whether it refers to one task or multiple tasks.
How do you pronounce it?
shigoto
Did you know?
- In Japanese business culture, finishing a 'task' is often not just about completion, but about 'hourenso', a specific system of reporting and communicating progress.
- The word 仕事 can be used as a compliment for a craftsman, where it refers not to the labor itself but to the high quality of the finished 'work'.
- The character 事 in 仕事 is usually read as koto, but it changes to goto because of a phonetic phenomenon called rendaku which adds a voiced sound to the start of the word.
Examples in context
- あとは、待つのが仕事。Afterwards my task is to wait.This sentence shows how to use 仕事 to describe one's duty.Tatoeba #10515208 by small_snow, translation #10517606 by terrywallwork
- 彼女はその仕事に不向きだ。She isn't adequate to the task.This sentence demonstrates using 仕事 to describe suitability for a task.Tatoeba #92477 by bunbuku, translation #311234 by CM
- その仕事は私には無理だよ。This task is impossible for me to accomplish.This sentence shows how to express that a specific 仕事 is impossible to accomplish.Tatoeba #210364 by bunbuku, translation #47632 by WestofEden
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about their busy day at the office.
- 陽葵 Himari今日の仕事は、もう終わった？Kyō no shigoto wa, mō owatta?Is today's work finished already?
- 蓮 Renいや、まだ仕事がたくさんあるよ。Iya, mada shigoto ga takusan aru yo.No, I still have a lot of work.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんはいつも忙しそうだね。Ren-san wa itsumo isogashisō da ne.Ren, you always look busy.
- 蓮 Ren休みが取れるといいんだけど。Yasumi ga toreru to ii ndakedo.I wish I could take a break.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “task” translations and entries 仕事, 課題, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 仕事, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
