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A1 noun #3,794 am häufigsten 7 Min. Lesezeit

労働者

rōdōsha Top 3,794

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Erklärung 労働者 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know that 労働者 (rōdōsha) means 'worker.' It's a bit of a difficult word because of the kanji, but you might see it on signs or in simple news stories. Think of it as 'the person who does work.' Just remember that 'sha' at the end means 'person.' You won't use this word much in basic greetings, but it's good to recognize it when you see pictures of people working in factories or on construction sites.

At the A2 level, you can start to use 労働者 in simple sentences about jobs. You might say 'There are many workers in Japan' (日本にはたくさんの労働者がいます). You should also learn the related word 'rōdō' (labor). At this level, you begin to see the difference between a 'worker' (rōdōsha) and a 'student' (gakusei) or 'teacher' (sensai). You might see this word in basic reading exercises about daily life or society.

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At the B1 level, you should understand the formal nuance of 労働者. You will encounter it in intermediate reading materials about social issues, such as the aging population or foreign labor. You should be able to use it with particles like 'to shite' (as a...) to say things like 'Working as a worker' (労働者として働く). You also start to see compound words like 'gaikokujin rōdōsha' (foreign workers), which is a very common topic in modern Japan.

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At the B2 level, you are expected to use 労働者 in discussions about economics, politics, and law. You should understand the difference between 'rōdōsha' and 'jūgyōin' (employee). You will hear this word in news broadcasts and see it in newspapers (like the Nikkei or Asahi). You should be comfortable discussing 'rōdōsha no kenri' (workers' rights) and 'rōdō jōken' (working conditions). This is where the word becomes a key part of your academic and professional vocabulary.

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At the C1 level, you should have a deep understanding of the sociopolitical history of the word 労働者. You can analyze its use in proletarian literature or legal precedents. You should be able to discuss complex topics like 'hiseiki rōdōsha' (non-regular workers) and the 'rōdōsha haken-hō' (Worker Dispatch Law) with nuance. You understand that the word carries a specific weight in Japanese labor relations and can use it to argue points about social structure and economic policy.

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At the C2 level, your mastery of 労働者 includes an understanding of its most subtle connotations in various registers. You can differentiate between the clinical use of the term in economic data and its emotive use in social activism. You are familiar with historical slogans and how the term has evolved from the early industrial era through the 'bubble economy' to the current 'gig economy.' You can use the term in high-level academic research or legal practice without any hesitation.

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労働者 in 30 Sekunden

Rōdōsha is the formal Japanese word for 'worker' or 'laborer,' used in news, law, and academic contexts.
It is composed of kanji meaning labor, work, and person, focusing on the individual's role in the workforce.
While it includes all employees, it is less common in casual conversation than words like 'kaishain' (office worker).
It is central to discussions about labor rights, unions, and the history of Japan's industrial development.

The Japanese word 労働者 (rōdōsha) is a formal and sociological term used to describe individuals who provide labor in exchange for wages. While the English word 'worker' can be used casually, rōdōsha often carries a weightier, more structural connotation, frequently appearing in contexts involving labor laws, economics, social classes, and organized unions. It encompasses anyone from a factory hand to a white-collar office employee, provided they are in an employment relationship where they sell their labor power.

Etymological Breakdown: The term consists of three kanji: 労 (rō - labor/toil), 働 (dō - work/motion), and 者 (sha - person). Interestingly, the middle kanji 働 is a 'kokuji' (Japanese-made kanji), combining 'person' (亻) with 'move' (動), literally meaning a person moving to perform a task.
Societal Context: In Japan, the term is central to discussions about the 'working class' (労働者階級 - rōdōsha kaikyū). It is the standard term used in legal documents like the Labor Standards Act (労働基準法 - Rōdō Kijun-hō).

すべての労働者には、適正な賃金を受け取る権利がある。
(Subete no rōdōsha ni wa, tekiseina chingin o uketoru kenri ga aru.)
Every worker has the right to receive a fair wage.

When using this word, it is important to distinguish it from shain (company employee) or sarariiman (salaryman). While a salaryman is a rōdōsha, the term rōdōsha focuses on the legal and economic status rather than the corporate identity. It is used extensively in news reports regarding employment statistics, strikes, and minimum wage debates. In daily conversation, people might refer to themselves as 'working people' using hataraku hito, but when discussing rights or the economy, rōdōsha is the indispensable term.

Historically, the term gained prominence during Japan's industrialization. It evokes images of the collective power of people who build the nation's infrastructure. In modern Japan, the term has expanded to include 'non-regular workers' (非正規労働者 - hiseiki rōdōsha), highlighting the diversity of the modern workforce.

工場で働く労働者たちは、労働条件の改善を求めている。
(Kōjō de hataraku rōdōsha-tachi wa, rōdō jōken no kaizen o motomete iru.)
The workers in the factory are seeking improvements in working conditions.

Register and Nuance: The word is objective and formal. Unlike 'laborer' in some English contexts, it does not necessarily imply low-skilled manual labor; a high-level software engineer is also a 'rōdōsha' in a legal sense.

Using 労働者 effectively requires understanding its role as a noun that often acts as the subject or object in formal discussions. It is frequently paired with verbs like yatou (to hire), hogo suru (to protect), or shien suru (to support). Because it is a formal word, it is usually found in desu/masu style or the literary da/dearu style in essays and news articles.

政府は外国人労働者の受け入れを拡大している。
(Seifu wa gaikokujin rōdōsha no ukeire o kakudai shite iru.)
The government is expanding the acceptance of foreign workers.

Common grammatical structures include the use of the particle no to modify the worker, such as kensetsu rōdōsha (construction worker) or itaku rōdōsha (contract worker). When referring to multiple workers, the suffix -tachi is often added to humanize the group, especially in social movements.

Grammar Pattern: [Adjective/Noun] + 労働者: Used to specify the type of worker. Example: 熟練労働者 (jukuren rōdōsha - skilled worker).
Grammar Pattern: 労働者 + として: Used to define a role. Example: 労働者として働く (to work as a laborer).

One must be careful not to use rōdōsha in a way that sounds dehumanizing. While it is an objective term, in a face-to-face introduction, saying 'I am a worker' (私は労働者です) sounds very stiff and strange. Instead, people use their specific job title (e.g., 'I am an engineer'). Use rōdōsha when discussing politics, the job market, or legal rights.

この法律は、すべての労働者の安全を守るためのものです。
(Kono hōritsu wa, subete no rōdōsha no anzen o mamoru tame no mono desu.)
This law is intended to protect the safety of all workers.

You will encounter 労働者 primarily in media and professional environments. If you watch the NHK news, you will hear it almost daily in reports about the economy, employment rates, or labor shortages (rōdōryoku busoku). It is also a staple of political speeches, especially from parties that focus on labor rights.

ニュース：労働者の平均賃金が上昇しました。
(Nyūsu: Rōdōsha no heikin chingin ga jōshō shimashita.)
News: The average wage of workers has increased.

In a corporate setting, human resources (HR) might use the term when discussing collective bargaining or company-wide policies. It is also found in signage at construction sites or factories regarding safety protocols for 'workers'.

May Day (May 1st): During May Day rallies in Japan, you will see banners with the word 労働者 prominently displayed as unions march for better pay and conditions.
Documentaries and History: When learning about the Meiji Era or the post-war reconstruction, the term is used to describe the masses who fueled Japan's growth.

Furthermore, the term appears in legal disputes. If a worker sues a company for unpaid overtime, the court documents will refer to them as the rōdōsha and the employer as the shiyōsha.

The most frequent mistake learners make is using 労働者 to describe themselves in a casual conversation. While grammatically correct, it sounds like you are a character in a 19th-century novel or a political activist. Most Japanese people would use kaishain (company employee) or simply name their profession.

Incorrect: 私は労働者です。(I am a laborer - sounds too formal/political)
Natural: 私は会社員です。(I am a company employee.)

Another mistake is confusing it with shigoto (work). Rōdōsha is the person, while rōdō is the act of laboring. You cannot say 'I have a lot of workers' when you mean 'I have a lot of work to do'.

Confusing with 'Staff': In a restaurant, you call the employees 'sutaffu' or 'ten'in'. Calling them 'rōdōsha' would be technically true but socially awkward.
Misunderstanding the Kanji: Learners sometimes forget the 'person' (sha) at the end, just saying 'rōdō' (labor). Remember that 'sha' is essential to refer to the individual.

Japanese has many words for 'worker,' each with a specific nuance. Choosing the right one depends on the level of formality and the specific type of employment.

従業員 (Jūgyōin): The standard word for 'employee.' It is used by a company to refer to its own staff. It feels more personal to the company than rōdōsha.
勤労者 (Kinrōsha): A more positive, slightly dated term emphasizing the 'diligent' (kin) aspect of work. Used in 'Labor Thanksgiving Day' (Kinrō Kansha no Hi).
ワーカー (Wākā): The loanword 'worker.' Used in modern contexts like 'social worker' (sōsharu wākā) or in specific industry jargon.

Comparison:
1. 労働者の権利 (Rights of workers - Legal/Political)
2. 会社の従業員 (Employees of the company - Corporate)
3. 働く人々 (Working people - General/Casual)

When you want to sound more casual, use hataraku hito (people who work). When you want to sound like a professional HR manager, use jūgyōin. When you are writing a thesis on economic inequality, use rōdōsha.

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The kanji 働 (dō) was actually created in Japan (kokuji) rather than China. It was created to specifically mean 'human work' by adding the 'person' radical to 'move.'

Aussprachehilfe

UK ɾoːdoːɕa

US roʊdoʊʃə

Japanese is a pitch-accent language. For 労働者, the pitch starts low on 'ro' and stays high for 'do-o-sha'.

Reimt sich auf

医者 (isha - doctor) 学者 (gakusha - scholar) 記者 (kisha - reporter) 作者 (sakusha - author) 読者 (dokusha - reader) 信者 (shinja - believer) 役者 (yakusha - actor) 患者 (kanja - patient)

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the 'u' in 'rou' as a separate vowel.
Making the 'r' too strong like an English 'r'.
Forgetting the long vowel in 'dō'.
Pronouncing 'sha' like 'sha' in 'shall' with too much air.
Missing the 'sha' at the end entirely.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 3/5

The kanji are common but require intermediate knowledge. 働 is a kokuji.

Schreiben 4/5

Writing 働 and 労 correctly requires practice with stroke order.

Sprechen 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward but pitch accent must be noted.

Hören 2/5

Easily recognizable in formal broadcasts.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

仕事 (Work) 人 (Person) 会社 (Company) 働く (To work) お金 (Money)

Als Nächstes lernen

労働組合 (Labor union) 賃金 (Wages) 雇用 (Employment) 失業 (Unemployment) 権利 (Rights)

Fortgeschritten

疎外 (Alienation) 搾取 (Exploitation) 最低賃金 (Minimum wage) 労働基準法 (Labor Standards Act) ワークライフバランス (Work-life balance)

Wichtige Grammatik

Noun + として (As a...)

労働者として働く。

Noun + に対する (Toward...)

労働者に対する支援。

Passive Voice (受身形)

労働者が守られる。

Causative (使役形)

労働者を働かせる。

Potential (可能形)

労働者が意見を言える。

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Beispiele nach Niveau

彼は労働者です。

He is a worker.

Simple A is B sentence structure.

労働者がたくさんいます。

There are many workers.

Using 'ga imasu' for existence of people.

労働者は働きます。

Workers work.

Basic subject-verb structure.

あの人は労働者ですか？

Is that person a worker?

Question form of 'desu'.

労働者の服です。

These are workers' clothes.

Possessive particle 'no'.

若い労働者がいます。

There are young workers.

Adjective modifying a noun.

労働者の名前を書きます。

I write the worker's name.

Object particle 'o'.

ここは労働者の部屋です。

This is the workers' room.

Locative 'koko'.

工場には多くの労働者がいます。

There are many workers in the factory.

Using 'ni wa' to indicate location of existence.

労働者は毎日忙しいです。

Workers are busy every day.

Adjective predicate 'isogashii'.

新しい労働者を雇います。

We will hire new workers.

Verb 'yatou' meaning to hire.

労働者は朝早く起きます。

Workers get up early in the morning.

Adverbial 'hayaku'.

労働者の休みは日曜日です。

The workers' day off is Sunday.

Compound noun phrase.

労働者は安全な靴を履きます。

Workers wear safety shoes.

Verb 'haku' for footwear.

彼は真面目な労働者です。

He is a serious/diligent worker.

Na-adjective 'majime-na'.

労働者のために弁当を作ります。

I make lunch boxes for the workers.

'~ no tame ni' (for the sake of).

労働者としての権利を守るべきだ。

We should protect our rights as workers.

Using 'toshite' to mean 'in the capacity of'.

外国人労働者が増えています。

The number of foreign workers is increasing.

Intransitive verb 'fueru' (to increase).

労働者は労働組合を作ることができます。

Workers can form labor unions.

Potential form 'koto ga dekiru'.

労働者の意見を聞くことが大切です。

It is important to listen to the workers' opinions.

Nominalizing a verb phrase with 'koto'.

熟練した労働者が不足しています。

There is a shortage of skilled workers.

Verb 'fusoku shite iru' (to be lacking).

労働者は会社に雇われています。

Workers are employed by companies.

Passive voice 'yatowarete iru'.

労働者の安全を第一に考える。

We consider workers' safety as the top priority.

Adverbial use of 'dai-ichi ni'.

多くの労働者がストライキに参加した。

Many workers participated in the strike.

Past tense 'sanka shita'.

非正規労働者の待遇改善が急務である。

Improving the treatment of non-regular workers is an urgent task.

Formal 'dearu' style.

労働者は法律によって守られている。

Workers are protected by law.

Passive voice with 'ni yotte' (by means of).

労働者の過労死が社会問題になっている。

Death from overwork among workers has become a social problem.

The term 'karōshi' (death from overwork).

企業は労働者に対して公正であるべきだ。

Companies should be fair toward workers.

'~ ni taishite' (toward/against).

労働者の生産性を向上させる必要がある。

It is necessary to improve the productivity of workers.

Causative 'kōjō saseru'.

派遣労働者の契約が打ち切られた。

The contracts of the dispatched workers were terminated.

Compound 'haken rōdōsha'.

労働者のメンタルヘルスをケアする。

We care for the mental health of workers.

Katakana loanword 'mentaru herusu'.

最低賃金は労働者の生活を支えるものだ。

The minimum wage is what supports the lives of workers.

Nominalizer 'mono'.

労働者階級の意識変革が求められている。

A change in the consciousness of the working class is being called for.

Complex noun compound 'ishiki henkaku'.

ギグ・エコノミーにおける労働者の定義を再考する。

Rethinking the definition of a worker in the gig economy.

'ni okeru' (in/at a certain context).

労働者の主体性を尊重した組織作り。

Creating an organization that respects the autonomy of workers.

Noun 'shutaisei' (subjectivity/autonomy).

労働者派遣法の改正が議論の焦点となった。

The amendment of the Worker Dispatch Law became the focus of the debate.

Legal terminology 'kaisei' and 'shōten'.

資本家と労働者の対立は歴史的に繰り返されてきた。

The conflict between capitalists and workers has been historically repeated.

Historical present/perfect 'kurikaesarete kita'.

労働者の技能移転を円滑に進めるための施策。

Measures to smoothly facilitate the transfer of workers' skills.

Formal word 'shisaku' (measures/policy).

潜在的な労働者層を掘り起こす。

To tap into the potential labor force pool.

Idiomatic verb 'horiokosu' (to unearth/tap into).

労働者の連帯が社会を変える原動力となる。

The solidarity of workers becomes the driving force to change society.

Noun 'rentai' (solidarity).

マルクス主義における労働者の疎外について論じる。

Discussing the alienation of the worker in Marxism.

Philosophical term 'sogai' (alienation).

労働者の権利擁護は民主主義の根幹をなす。

The protection of workers' rights forms the basis of democracy.

Expression 'konkan o nasu'.

高度プロフェッショナル制度が労働者に与える影響。

The impact of the 'high-level professional system' on workers.

Specific policy name.

労働者の移動の自由を担保するための国際的枠組み。

An international framework to guarantee the freedom of movement for workers.

Formal verb 'tanpo suru' (to guarantee/collateralize).

産業革命期の労働者の劣悪な環境を想起させる。

It evokes the poor conditions of workers during the Industrial Revolution.

Causative verb 'sōki saseru'.

労働者の自己実現を可能にする労働環境の構築。

Constructing a work environment that enables workers' self-actualization.

Psychological term 'jiko jitsugen'.

労働者の搾取を許さない厳格な監視体制。

A strict monitoring system that does not permit the exploitation of workers.

Strong term 'sakushu' (exploitation).

労働者の多様な働き方を許容する社会への移行。

Transitioning to a society that allows for diverse ways for workers to work.

Noun 'ikō' (transition).

Synonyme

ワーカー従業員勤労者雇い人工員スタッフ

Gegenteile

雇用主経営者資本家

Häufige Kollokationen

労働者派遣

外国人労働者

労働者階級

熟練労働者

非正規労働者

労働者の権利

建設労働者

工場労働者

未熟練労働者

労働者不足

Häufige Phrasen

労働者の味方

— An ally of the workers. Used for politicians or lawyers who support labor rights.

彼は労働者の味方として知られている。

労働者の街

— A workers' town. Usually refers to industrial areas where many laborers live.

ここは昔から労働者の街だった。

労働者の声

— The voice of the workers. Refers to the collective opinions or demands of the workforce.

政府は労働者の声を聞くべきだ。

労働者の健康

— Workers' health. A common topic in corporate wellness and safety discussions.

労働者の健康を維持するためのプログラム。

労働者の団結

— Workers' solidarity/unity. Often used in union slogans.

労働者の団結が勝利を導く。

労働者の誇り

— Workers' pride. The dignity found in performing labor.

彼は労働者としての誇りを持っている。

労働者の福祉

— Workers' welfare. Benefits and support provided to employees.

労働者の福祉を充実させる。

労働者の教育

— Worker training/education. Focuses on upskilling the workforce.

労働者の教育に力を入れる。

労働者の交代

— Shift change. When one group of workers replaces another.

労働者の交代時間が近づく。

労働者の使い捨て

— Treating workers as disposable. A critical term for poor labor practices.

労働者の使い捨ては許されない。

Wird oft verwechselt mit

労働者 vs 仕事 (Shigoto)

Shigoto is the work/job itself; rōdōsha is the person who does it.

労働者 vs 社員 (Shain)

Shain refers to a company member; rōdōsha is a broader term for anyone providing labor.

労働者 vs 職人 (Shokunin)

Shokunin is a craftsman; rōdōsha is a general worker.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"労働は美徳である"

— Labor is a virtue. A traditional belief that working hard is morally good.

日本では労働は美徳であると考えられてきた。

Formal/Proverbial

"汗水たらして働く"

— To work by the sweat of one's brow. Emphasizes hard physical labor.

労働者たちは汗水たらして働いている。

Idiomatic/Informal

"企業戦士"

— Corporate warrior. A worker who sacrifices everything for the company.

かつて日本の労働者は企業戦士と呼ばれた。

Social Metaphor

"働き蜂"

— Worker bee. Someone who works excessively without much reward.

日本人は働き蜂のように働くと批判されたこともある。

Metaphorical

"賃金奴隷"

— Wage slave. A derogatory term for a worker trapped by their salary.

彼は自分を労働者ではなく賃金奴隷だと思っている。

Slang/Critical

"骨を埋める"

— To bury one's bones. To work for a company until death/retirement.

労働者としてこの会社に骨を埋める覚悟だ。

Idiomatic

"馬車馬のように働く"

— To work like a coach horse. To work relentlessly and without looking aside.

労働者は馬車馬のように働かされた。

Idiomatic

"糊口を凌ぐ"

— To scrape a living. To work just enough to survive.

未熟練労働者は糊口を凌ぐのが精一杯だった。

Literary

"一旗揚げる"

— To make a name for oneself. Often used for workers moving to cities to find success.

若き労働者は都会で一旗揚げようとした。

Idiomatic

"腰を据えて働く"

— To settle down and work seriously in one place.

労働者として腰を据えて働く場所を探す。

Idiomatic

Leicht verwechselbar

労働者 vs 従業員

Both mean someone who works.

Jūgyōin is used by employers to refer to their own staff. Rōdōsha is a general, more clinical term used in legal or economic contexts.

会社の従業員 (Company employee) vs 労働者の権利 (Workers' rights)

労働者 vs 勤労者

Both refer to workers.

Kinrōsha has a moral nuance of 'diligent worker' and is used in formal holidays. Rōdōsha is neutral and legalistic.

勤労感謝の日 (Labor Thanksgiving Day)

労働者 vs サラリーマン

Both work for money.

Salaryman specifically refers to white-collar office workers. Rōdōsha includes blue-collar, white-collar, and contract workers.

彼はサラリーマンだ (He is a salaryman).

労働者 vs スタッフ

Both refer to workers.

Staff (sutaffu) is a loanword used for service industry workers or specific teams. Rōdōsha is much more formal.

イベントのスタッフ (Event staff).

労働者 vs 働き手

Both mean worker.

Hatarakite refers to the 'source of labor' or 'breadwinner' in a family/society.

家族の働き手 (The breadwinner of the family).

Satzmuster

彼は[Noun]です。

彼は労働者です。

[Place]に[Noun]がいます。

工場に労働者がいます。

[Noun]としての[Noun]。

労働者としての権利。

[Noun]によって[Verb-Passive]。

労働者は法律によって守られている。

[Noun]における[Noun]の定義。

現代社会における労働者の定義。

[Noun]の[Noun]を担保する。

労働者の移動の自由を担保する。

[Noun]が不足している。

労働者が不足している。

[Noun]に対して[Adjective]だ。

労働者に対して公正だ。

Wortfamilie

Substantive

労働 (rōdō - labor)

労働力 (rōdōryoku - labor force)

労働組合 (rōdō kumiai - labor union)

労働基準 (rōdō kijun - labor standards)

Verben

労働する (rōdō suru - to labor/work)

働く (hataraku - to work)

Adjektive

労働的な (rōdō-teki na - labor-related/laborious)

Verwandt

雇用 (koyō - employment)

賃金 (chingin - wages)

職場 (shokuba - workplace)

職人 (shokunin - craftsman)

稼ぐ (kasegu - to earn money)

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frequency

High in news, medium in daily life.

Häufige Fehler

Using 労働者 to introduce your job. → 私は会社員です。
労働者 is too formal/clinical for self-introductions. Use your title or 'kaishain'.
Using 労働 to mean 'a job' (e.g., I have a labor). → 仕事があります。
労働 is the act of laboring; it's not used as a countable noun for 'a job'.
Forgetting the 'sha' when referring to the person. → 彼は労働者です。
労働 means labor; 労働者 means laborer. You need the 'sha' for the person.
Confusing 働 (work) with 動 (move). → 労働者
The kanji for work (働) must have the person radical (亻).
Calling a customer a 'rōdōsha'. → お客様 (Okyakusama)
Even if they are workers, in a service context, they are customers.

Tipps

Use with 'toshite'

To say 'as a worker,' use 労働者として. This is the most common way to use the word when talking about roles or responsibilities.

Learn the 'sha' suffix

The kanji 者 (sha) means person. Learning this helps you understand many other Japanese words like isha (doctor) and gakusha (scholar).

Labor Thanksgiving

Remember that on November 23rd, Japan thanks its workers. It's a great time to see the word in the news.

HR Context

If you work in HR in Japan, you will use this word daily in documents. It is the legal standard.

Spotting the Kanji

Look for the person radical (亻) on the left of 働. This tells you the word is about people.

Stroke Order

Practice the stroke order of 労. The top part is like 'power' (力) under 'fire' (火) components.

News keywords

When you hear 'rōdōsha,' expect to hear about wages (chingin) or hours (jikan) next.

Solidarity

The word is often used in slogans. 'Workers of the world' is a classic phrase you might see in history books.

The Road to Work

Rō-dō sounds like 'Road' - 'Do'. Workers 'do' things on the 'road' to success.

Rights

Always pair 労働者 with 権利 (kenri) when discussing human rights in the workplace.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'RO-DO' as 'ROAD' + 'DO'. A worker is someone who has to 'DO' things on the 'ROAD' (construction). Add 'SHA' for 'person'.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a person (者) moving (働) while sweating (労). The three kanji together form the image of a busy person in a factory.

Word Web

労働 (Labor) 賃金 (Wages) 工場 (Factory) 者 (Person) 仕事 (Work) 組合 (Union) 権利 (Rights) 安全 (Safety)

Herausforderung

Try to find the word 労働者 in a Japanese newspaper headline today. Look for the 'person' radical at the end of the word.

Wortherkunft

The word is a Sino-Japanese compound (kango). 'Rōdō' (労働) appeared in early Japanese texts to describe physical toil. 'Sha' (者) is the classical Chinese suffix for 'person who does...'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: A person who performs physical labor.

Sino-Japanese (Kango)

Kultureller Kontext

Avoid calling someone a 'rōdōsha' directly to their face unless in a formal political or legal discussion, as it can sound overly clinical or imply a low social status in some contexts.

In English, 'laborer' often implies manual work, but 'rōdōsha' is the legal term for all employees, including doctors and lawyers.

The movie 'A Proletarian's Life' (労働者の生活). May Day slogans: 'Workers of the world, unite!' (万国の労働者よ、団結せよ！). Takiji Kobayashi's novel 'The Crab Cannery Ship' (Kanikōsen) about exploited workers.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

News / Economy

労働者不足の深刻化
外国人労働者の受け入れ
実質賃金の低下
労働市場の流動化

Law / Rights

労働者の保護
不当解雇
労働条件の明示
有給休暇の取得

History / Sociology

労働者階級の誕生
プロレタリア文学
高度経済成長期の労働者
格差社会と労働者

Construction / Manufacturing

現場労働者
安全第一
熟練労働者の技術
期間契約労働者

Politics

労働者の生活向上
最低賃金の引き上げ
労働政策
労働者の声を国政に

Gesprächseinstiege

"日本での労働者の権利についてどう思いますか？"

"あなたの国では、労働者の不足が問題になっていますか？"

"外国人労働者の受け入れについて、あなたの意見を聞かせてください。"

"労働者にとって一番大切なことは何だと思いますか？"

"最近、労働者の働き方は変わってきたと思いますか？"

Tagebuch-Impulse

自分が労働者としてどのような権利を持っているか書いてみましょう。

将来、どのような労働者になりたいか、その理想を記述してください。

日本の「労働者」と自分の国の「worker」の違いについて考察してください。

労働者不足を解決するためのアイデアを日本語で書いてみましょう。

労働者が幸せに働くためには何が必要か、自分の考えをまとめましょう。

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Technically yes, but it sounds very formal. In a casual conversation, use 'kaishain' (office worker) or your specific job title. Use 'rōdōsha' if you are talking about your legal rights or in a political context.

Rōdō (労働) is the formal word for 'labor,' often used in economics or law. Shigoto (仕事) is the common word for 'work' or 'job' used in daily life.

No. In Japan, 労働者 is a legal term that includes everyone from factory workers to office clerks, teachers, and engineers, as long as they are employed for wages.

It is 労働者階級 (rōdōsha kaikyū). It is used in sociological and political discussions.

It is a neutral, formal word. It is not impolite, but because it is clinical, using it to address someone directly might feel cold or distant.

It is a 'kokuji' (Japanese-made kanji). It was created by combining 'person' and 'move' to represent the unique concept of human labor.

It means 'non-regular worker,' referring to part-time, temporary, or dispatched workers who don't have permanent employment status.

It is called 勤労感謝の日 (Kinrō Kansha no Hi) and is celebrated on November 23rd. Note that it uses 'kinrō' instead of 'rōdō'.

It is a labor union (労働組合), an organization of workers formed to protect their rights and interests.

Yes, especially in anime with political or social themes, or when characters are discussing their struggles against a system.

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