Learn basic Japanese vocabulary for occupations
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
| 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| 会社員 (kaishain) |
| 司祭 (shisai) |
| What do these words mean? Stick around. |
| In this quick lesson, you’ll learn Japanese vocabulary for occupations. |
| Before we start, did you know that in Japan, there’s a special type of job where the sole task is to just show up and be there? What’s it for? |
| Keep watching for the answer at the end. |
| 建設作業員 (kensetsu sagyōin) |
| "construction worker" |
| [SLOW] 建設作業員 (kensetsu sagyōin) |
| 建設作業員 (kensetsu sagyōin) |
| 建設 (kensetsu) - Construction |
| 作業 (sagyō) - Work, Operation |
| 員 (in) - Member |
| Oscar and Emily talk while overlooking a construction site. |
| Oscar: 建設作業員が家を建てているようです。 (Kensetsu sagyōin ga ie o tatete iru yō desu.) |
| Emily: 家を建てるのは大変な仕事です。 (Ie o tateru no wa taihen na shigoto desu.) |
| デザイナー (dezainā) |
| "designer" |
| [SLOW] デザイナー (dezainā) |
| デザイナー (dezainā) |
| Best dress in the world. |
| Steve discusses his start-up's branding with Susan. |
| Steve: 新しいロゴが必要です。デザイナーにお願いしました。 (Atarashii rogo ga hitsuyō desu. Dezainā ni onegai shimashita.) |
| Susan: ロゴは大切ですよね。見るのが楽しみです。 (Rogo wa taisetsu desu yo ne. Miru no ga tanoshimi desu.) |
| 兵士 (heishi) |
| "soldier" |
| [SLOW] 兵士 (heishi) |
| 兵士 (heishi) |
| Yes, sir! |
| Yuya talks to Tom about uniforms. |
| Yuya: 警察のように、兵士にも制服があります。 (Keisatsu no yō ni, heishi ni mo seifuku ga arimasu.) |
| Tom: 制服は目立ちますね。 (Seifuku wa medachimasu ne.) |
| 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| "entrepreneur" |
| [SLOW] 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| Are you interested in MBTI or personality types? Did you know that in Japanese, the personality type ESTP is called 起業家(kigyōka), "entrepreneur"? |
| Lina talks to Eri about her family. |
| Lina: 兄はとても忙しいです。起業家で、ビジネスを三つ持っています。 (Ani wa totemo isogashii desu. Kigyōka de, bijinesu o mittsu motte imasu.) |
| Eri: 三つですか。それは多いですね！ (Mittsu desu ka. Sore wa ōi desu ne!) |
| 司祭 (shisai) |
| "priest" |
| [SLOW] 司祭 (shisai) |
| 司祭 (shisai) |
| Often, the term 神父さん (shinpu-san) is used to refer to a priest in Japan in a respectful and familiar manner. |
| Erica asks Tom about his weekend plans. |
| Erica: 今週末、何か特別な予定はありますか。 (Konshūmatsu, nani ka tokubetsu na yotei wa arimasu ka.) |
| Tom: 教会に行って、司祭と話します。 (Kyōkai ni itte, shisai to hanashimasu.) |
| 大家 (ōya) |
| "landlord" |
| [SLOW] 大家 (ōya) |
| 大家 (ōya) |
| "San" is normally added after 大家 (ōya) |
| 大家さん (ōya-san) |
| "landlord" |
| 大家さん (ōya-san) |
| Emily talks about her apartment with Jack. |
| Emily: 今のアパートを気に入っています。大家さんが親切です。 (Ima no apāto o ki ni itte imasu. Ōya-san ga shinsetsu desu.) |
| Jack: いい大家さんは大切ですね。 (Ii ōya-san wa taisetsu desu ne.) |
| 芸術家 (geijutsuka) |
| "artist" |
| [SLOW] 芸術家 (geijutsuka) |
| 芸術家 (geijutsuka) |
| 芸術は爆発だ "Art is an explosion." by Japanese artist Taro Okamoto. |
| Oscar admires paintings at a gallery with Tom. |
| Oscar: これらの絵を見てください。この芸術家は絵が上手です。 (Kono e o mite kudasai. Kono geijutsuka wa e ga jōzu desu.) |
| Tom: ええ、美しいですね。 (Ē, utsukushii desu ne.) |
| 会社員 (kaishain) |
| "office worker" |
| [SLOW] 会社員 (kaishain) |
| 会社員 (kaishain) |
| 会社 means "company" or "corporation." |
| 員 means "member." |
| Susan asks Yoko about her profession. |
| Susan: お仕事は何ですか。 (O-shigoto wa nan desu ka.) |
| Yoko: 会社員です。 (Kaishain desu.) |
| Let's review. |
| You'll see the words in English and your job is to say the words in Japanese. |
| Ready? |
| Do you remember how to say "construction worker"? |
| 建設作業員 (kensetsu sagyōin) |
| 建設作業員 (kensetsu sagyōin) |
| And how to say "designer"? |
| デザイナー (dezainā) |
| デザイナー (dezainā) |
| How about "soldier"? |
| 兵士 (heishi) |
| 兵士 (heishi) |
| Do you remember how to say "entrepreneur"? |
| 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| 起業家 (kigyōka) |
| And how to say "priest"? |
| 司祭 (shisai) |
| 司祭 (shisai) |
| Let's try "landlord"! |
| 大家 (ōya) |
| 大家 (ōya) |
| What about "artist"? |
| 芸術家 (geijutsuka) |
| 芸術家 (geijutsuka) |
| And finally, do you remember how to say "office worker"? |
| 会社員 (kaishain) |
| 会社員 (kaishain) |
| Did you know that in Japan, there’s a special type of job where the sole task is to just show up and be there? What’s it for? |
| In Japan, you can hire someone just to attend an event. This job is called 代理出席サービス (dairi shusseki sābisu) or "proxy attendance service." |
| In Japan, there are occasions like meetings or ceremonies where showing up is not just a formality but a significant social gesture. |
| This demonstrates the importance of social manners and obligations in Japanese culture. |
| Thanks for watching! Don't forget to practice these new words and phrases, and see you next time! |
Comments
Hide