Looking up...
to have a lot of work to do and little free time due to work commitments
来月は引っ越しの準備で仕事が忙しい。
Next month I'll be busy with work because of moving preparations.
年末は仕事が忙しくて、家族と過ごす時間が少ない。
At the end of the year I'm so busy with work that I have little time to spend with my family.
Commonly used to express being overwhelmed by work tasks or schedule. Often implies stress or lack of personal time.
When someone says '仕事が忙しい', common responses include '大変ですね' (taihen desu ne, 'That must be tough') or '無理しないでください' (muri shinaide kudasai, 'Don't overwork yourself'). These acknowledge the difficulty without prying into personal details.
Japanese work culture often emphasizes dedication, so stating '仕事が忙しい' can sometimes be seen as a humble way to explain one's situation rather than complaining. It's important to recognize this cultural nuance when responding.
仕事 (shigoto) means 'work' or 'job' and comes from the verb 仕える (tsukaeru, 'to serve') + 事 (koto, 'thing/matter'). 忙しい (isogashii) means 'busy' or 'occupied' and relates to the kanji 忙 (busy) which combines 心 (heart/mind) and 亡 (to perish/die) indicating a mind that is overwhelmed to the point of 'dying' metaphorically. The phrase combines these two to directly express being occupied with work.
This phrase is used in both casual and formal contexts. When speaking to superiors or in professional settings, it's common to use more polite forms like '仕事が忙しくております' (shigoto ga isogashikute orimasu). The phrase often carries an implication of stress or being overloaded, so it's frequently used to explain why someone can't attend social events or complete tasks promptly.