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The company or organization where one is currently employed.
転職する前に、勤め先に退職届を提出した。
Before changing jobs, I submitted a resignation letter to my place of employment.
勤め先の名前は伏せてください。
Please keep the name of your place of employment confidential.
Often used in formal contexts such as resumes, job applications, or official documents. Can be shortened to 「勤め」 in casual speech, but this is less common.
While 「勤め先」 is the standard term for 'place of employment,' it is quite formal. In casual settings, people often simply say 「会社」 (kaisha, 'company') or 「職場」 (shokuba, 'workplace'). For example, 「私の会社はIT業界です」 (My company is in the IT industry) is more natural than using 「勤め先」 in everyday speech.
Use 「勤め先」 in formal contexts such as job applications, resumes, or when speaking to superiors. Avoid using it when referring to your own workplace in very casual conversations with friends or family.
The word is a compound of 「勤める」 (tsutomeru, 'to work for') and 「先」 (saki, 'place'). The combination emphasizes the location where one works rather than the act of working itself.
Unlike English, where 'place of employment' is a phrase, Japanese uses a single noun to convey this concept. It is typically used in formal or professional contexts and may sound unnatural in very casual conversation. Avoid using it to refer to part-time or temporary work unless specified.