Meaning
work; job; occupation; business
Nuance & Usage
仕事 is the most general and neutral word for "work" or "job." It can be used both as a noun (仕事があります — I have work) and as part of a verb phrase (仕事をする — to work / do one's job). In more formal contexts, 業務 (gyoumu) or 職業 (shokugyou) may be preferred. 仕事 can refer to paid employment, a task at hand, or one's general occupation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 仕事 with 職業 (shokugyou — occupation/profession), which is used more formally on documents. Also, 仕事をする means "to work" as an activity, while 働く (hataraku) emphasizes the physical act of laboring. Example: 今日は仕事をします (I will do work today) vs. 毎日働いています (I work every day — emphasizing the ongoing effort).
Example Sentences
お仕事は何ですか？
おしごとはなんですか？
What do you do for work?
今日は仕事が忙しかったです。
きょうはしごとがいそがしかったです。
Work was busy today.
仕事の後で飲みに行きませんか？
しごとのあとでのみにいきませんか？
Would you like to go for a drink after work?
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