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To complete or finish one's assigned tasks or duties.
月末までにこのプロジェクトを片付けなければならない。
I have to finish this project by the end of the month.
仕事を片付けてからでないと、遊びに行けません。
I can't go out until I finish my work.
Used for both professional and personal tasks. Implies clearing a backlog or completing pending work efficiently.
While 片付ける can mean 'to tidy up' (e.g., 部屋を片付ける), in the phrase 仕事を片付ける it specifically means 'to finish work' or 'to clear tasks'. Context is key to distinguish between the two meanings.
Use this phrase when you want to emphasize completing a backlog of work or multiple tasks efficiently. It implies clearing pending items rather than just finishing a single task.
The phrase combines 仕事 (shigoto, 'work') and 片付ける (katazukeru, 'to put in order/finish'). 片付ける derives from 片 (kata, 'one side/part') + 付ける (tsukeru, 'to attach'), originally meaning 'to put aside' or 'to settle' something.
Commonly used in both spoken and written Japanese. Often appears in workplace contexts but can refer to any type of task completion. The nuance emphasizes clearing a backlog rather than just completing a single task.