労働する

rōdō suru
to work

彼は毎日8時間労働する。

He works eight hours every day.


formal

To perform physical or mental work as an employee or laborer, often for wages.

彼女は工場で労働する。

She works in a factory.

労働条件を改善する必要がある。

We need to improve working conditions.

Commonly used in formal contexts like labor laws, employment contracts, or discussions about work conditions.

Collocations

労働時間working hours労働条件working conditions労働者worker過労overwork労働力labor force

Related Phrases

労働基準法phrase
Labor Standards Act
ブラック企業phrase
exploitative company

Pro Tip

Formal vs. Informal Work Verbs

労働する is formal and used in professional or legal contexts. For casual situations, use 働く (hataraku) or 仕事する (shigoto suru). Example: 今日も一生懸命働く!(I'll work hard today!)

Gold Rule

When to Use 労働する

Use 労働する when discussing labor laws, working conditions, or formal employment. Avoid using it in casual conversations about daily work.

Word Origin

From the noun 労働 (rōdō, 'labor/work') + する (suru, 'to do'). 労働 combines 労 (rō, 'labor/toil') and 働 (dō, 'work'), both sharing the concept of exertion.

Usage Notes

労働する is more formal than 働く or 仕事する. It is often used in legal, economic, or sociological contexts rather than casual conversation. In everyday speech, 働く is preferred.

Word Breakdown

労
labor/toil
root
+
働
work
root
+
する
to do
suffix
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