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会社員
kaisha-in
company employee
彼は会社員です。
He is a company employee.
formal
A person who works for a company as a regular employee.
彼女は新しい会社員として採用された。
She was hired as a new company employee.
会社員の平均年収は500万円だ。
The average annual salary of a company employee is 5 million yen.
Refers to full-time employees, excluding freelancers or part-time workers unless specified.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 会社員 vs サラリーマン
会社員 is a neutral term for any regular employee, while サラリーマン typically implies a white-collar worker in a large corporation. Both can refer to men, but サラリーマン is more gendered historically.
Word Origin
Composed of 会社 (kaisha, 'company') and 員 (in, 'member/employee'). The term emerged in the Meiji era as Japan adopted Western-style corporate structures.
Usage Notes
Often used in contrast to 自営業 (self-employed) or 役員 (executive). In casual speech, サラリーマン (salaried man) is more common, but 会社員 is neutral and widely understood.
Word Breakdown
会社
company
root員
member/employee
suffix和英辞典