無職
mushoku
The English word 'unemployed' is expressed in Japanese as 無職 (mushoku).
無職 is an adjective used to describe the state of having no job. If you want to refer to the unemployed as a group, you would use the noun 失業者.
Meaning: having no job (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 無職 describes a person's current status as being without a job, 失業者 is a more formal term often used in statistics or news to refer to people who have lost their jobs.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
無職 is a relatively blunt and formal term that can feel quite heavy or stigmatizing in casual conversation. For a more formal way to refer to someone without an occupation, you can use 無職者.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
mushoku
Did you know?
- In historical contexts, the term 浪人 (rōnin), meaning 'wave man', was used for samurai who became 無職 after the death or downfall of their master.
- The word 無職 contains the character 無 (mu), which is a central concept in Zen Buddhism representing 'nothingness' or 'void'.
- Because 無職 is so blunt, Japanese speakers often use vague phrases like 今ちょっと時間が空いていて ('I have some time open right now') to imply they are unemployed without saying the word.
Examples in context
- トムは当時無職だった。Tom was unemployed at the time.This sentence shows how to describe someone's status at a specific time in the past using 無職.Tatoeba #12723938 by bunbuku, translation #6264412 by CK
- 田辺さんは無職となりました。Mr Tanabe became unemployed.This sentence shows the transition into becoming unemployed using 無職.Tatoeba #1338009 by Scott, translation #1363357 by GaryM
- 彼は失業者です。He is unemployed.
- 最近、仕事がないんだ。Lately, I don't have a job.
- 実は、ニートだ。Actually, I am a NEET.
- 今は無職です。Ima wa mushoku desu.I am currently unemployed.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their current life situations at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui健太さんは、今お仕事は何をしていますか？Kenta-san wa, ima oshigoto wa nani o shite imasu ka?Kenta, what kind of work are you doing now?
- 健太 Kenta今は無職です。転職活動中です。Ima wa mushoku desu. Tenshoku katsudou chuu desu.I am currently unemployed. I am looking for a new job.
- 結衣 Yuiそうなんですね。応援しています。Sou nan desu ne. Ouen shite imasu.I see. I'm rooting for you.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。頑張ります。Arigatou gozaimasu. Ganbarimasu.Thank you. I will do my best.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
