働く
hatarakuTo engage in labor or employment; to perform a job or task for compensation or purpose.
彼は会社で働いています
He works at a company.
彼女は家庭で働いています
She works at home.
This is the most common and general meaning of the verb '働く'. It can refer to any type of work, whether paid or unpaid, formal or informal.
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
'働く' is often used with the particles 'で' (at) or 'に' (for) to specify the place or purpose of work. For example, '会社で働く' (to work at a company) or '家族のために働く' (to work for the family).
⚡Gold Rule
Conjugation
'働く' is a Group 1 (五段活用) verb, meaning it follows the standard conjugation patterns for verbs ending in 'く'. For example, the past tense is '働いた' (hataraita), and the negative form is '働かない' (hatarakana).
📖Word Origin
The verb '働く' comes from the Middle Japanese 'はたらく' (hataraku), which itself is derived from the Old Japanese 'はたる' (hataru), meaning 'to work' or 'to be active'. The kanji '働' is composed of '力' (power, strength) and '卒' (to complete), reflecting the idea of exerting effort to achieve results.
📝Usage Notes
The verb '働く' is a common and versatile verb used in both formal and informal contexts. It can refer to any type of work, whether physical or mental, paid or unpaid. In modern Japanese, it is often used to describe employment or professional activities, but it can also refer to more general tasks or efforts.