Japanese Work Vocabulary: 80 Office and Business Words You Must Know
Japanese workplace culture has its own vocabulary layer that textbooks rarely cover. Knowing 行く and 食べる will not help you when your 上司 asks you to submit 議事録 before the 締め切り. Whether you're working at a Japanese company, planning to, or just want to understand what's happening in Japanese dramas set in an office, this list of 80 essential workplace words will get you there.
Table 1: People and roles (14 words)
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 上司 | じょうし | boss / superior | Your direct manager or anyone above you in rank |
| 部下 | ぶか | subordinate | Someone who reports to you |
| 同僚 | どうりょう | colleague / coworker | Same rank, same department |
| 先輩 | せんぱい | senior (experience-based) | More experienced, not necessarily higher rank |
| 後輩 | こうはい | junior | Less experienced than you at the company |
| 部長 | ぶちょう | department head / director | Head of a 部 (bu, department) |
| 課長 | かちょう | section chief / manager | Head of a 課 (ka, section) — below 部長 |
| 社長 | しゃちょう | company president / CEO | Head of the entire company |
| 社員 | しゃいん | company employee | General term for a full-time company employee |
| アルバイト | あるばいと | part-time worker | From German "Arbeit" (work); often shortened to バイト |
| 派遣社員 | はけんしゃいん | temp / contracted worker | Placed through a staffing agency (派遣会社) |
| 正社員 | せいしゃいん | full-time permanent employee | The gold standard of employment in Japan |
| 新入社員 | しんにゅうしゃいん | new employee / new hire | Often shortened to 新入り (しんいり); 新社会人 for new graduates |
| 担当者 | たんとうしゃ | person in charge | The specific person responsible for a task or account |
Table 2: Office objects and places (10 words)
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 会議室 | かいぎしつ | conference room / meeting room |
| デスク | でするく | desk |
| コピー機 | こぴーき | photocopier |
| ファイル | ふぁいる | file / folder |
| 書類 | しょるい | documents / paperwork |
| 名刺 | めいし | business card |
| 印鑑 | いんかん | personal seal / hanko stamp |
| 受付 | うけつけ | reception desk / receptionist |
| 倉庫 | そうこ | storage room / warehouse |
| 共有スペース | きょうゆうすぺーす | shared/common space |
Table 3: Work activities and tasks (10 words and phrases)
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 会議をする | かいぎをする | to hold a meeting |
| 報告する | ほうこくする | to report |
| 提案する | ていあんする | to propose / suggest |
| 確認する | かくにんする | to confirm / check |
| 承認する | しょうにんする | to approve |
| 作成する | さくせいする | to create / prepare (a document) |
| 修正する | しゅうせいする | to correct / revise |
| 提出する | ていしゅつする | to submit |
| 締め切りを守る | しめきりをまもる | to meet the deadline |
| 残業する | ざんぎょうする | to work overtime |
Table 4: HR and employment terms (13 words)
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 給料 | きゅうりょう | salary / pay | Monthly salary; 給与 (きゅうよ) is more formal |
| ボーナス | ぼーなす | bonus | Typically paid twice yearly (June and December) in Japan |
| 有給休暇 | ゆうきゅうきゅうか | paid leave / PTO | Often shortened to 有休 or 有給 |
| 育児休暇 | いくじきゅうか | parental leave | Also 育休 (いくきゅう); legally available to both parents |
| 社会保険 | しゃかいほけん | social insurance | Covers health insurance and pension; paid by employee and employer |
| 年金 | ねんきん | pension | 国民年金 (national) or 厚生年金 (employee pension) |
| 残業代 | ざんぎょうだい | overtime pay | In Japan, often 125% of regular hourly rate by law |
| 昇進 | しょうしん | promotion | Moving up in rank; 昇給 (しょうきゅう) = pay raise |
| 異動 | いどう | transfer / reassignment | Moving to a different department or office within the company |
| 退職 | たいしょく | resignation / retirement | Leaving the company; 辞職 (じしょく) is used for voluntary resignation specifically |
| 採用 | さいよう | hiring / recruitment | 採用される = to be hired |
| 面接 | めんせつ | interview | 面接を受ける = to have an interview |
| 履歴書 | りれきしょ | resume / CV | In Japan, often handwritten on a standard form; 職務経歴書 for detailed work history |
Table 5: Essential business communication phrases (5 phrases)
| Phrase | Reading | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| お疲れ様です | おつかれさまです | "Good work / thank you for your efforts" | General workplace greeting; use throughout the day with colleagues |
| よろしくお願いします | よろしくおねがいします | "I look forward to working with you / please" | When introducing yourself, requesting something, or closing an email |
| ご確認ください | ごかくにんください | "Please confirm / check this" | When submitting work for review or sending documents |
| お世話になっております | おせわになっております | "Thank you for your continued support" | Standard email opener when writing to external contacts or clients |
| ご連絡ありがとうございます | ごれんらくありがとうございます | "Thank you for your message / for getting in touch" | When replying to an email or call, acknowledging their contact |
Table 6: Meeting vocabulary (8 words)
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 議題 | ぎだい | agenda / topic for discussion |
| 議事録 | ぎじろく | minutes of a meeting |
| 資料 | しりょう | materials / handouts / data |
| プレゼン | ぷれぜん | presentation (short for プレゼンテーション) |
| 質疑応答 | しつぎおうとう | Q&A session |
| 決議 | けつぎ | resolution / decision (at a meeting) |
| タスク | たするく | task / action item |
| 締め切り | しめきり | deadline |
Table 7: Project and work nouns (10 words)
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| プロジェクト | ぷろじぇくと | project |
| スケジュール | するけじゅーる | schedule |
| 目標 | もくひょう | goal / target |
| 方針 | ほうしん | policy / direction / approach |
| 計画 | けいかく | plan |
| 戦略 | せんりゃく | strategy |
| 予算 | よさん | budget |
| コスト | こするとする | cost |
| 納期 | のうき | delivery date / due date |
| クライアント | くらいあんと | client |
Common mistake: using casual speech with superiors
Japanese has distinct registers for formal and informal speech. In the workplace, you are expected to use polite ます/です forms with anyone at the same level or above. Using plain form speech with a 上司 or 先輩 is a serious social error.
- ✗ 報告書、明日出せる？ (Casual: Can you submit the report tomorrow?) — inappropriate to a superior
- ✓ 報告書は明日提出できますか。 (Polite: Would you be able to submit the report tomorrow?) — correct register
- ✗ ちょっと待って。(casual: Wait a sec.) — avoid with superiors
- ✓ 少々お待ちください。(Polite: Please wait a moment.) — correct in professional settings
- ✗ これ、どういう意味？ (Casual: What does this mean?) — too abrupt
- ✓ こちらはどういう意味でしょうか。 (Polite: What would this mean?) — appropriate register
Practice your business Japanese writing with ZISTICA MOJIIQ's free grammar checker — it detects register mismatches and polite form errors that other tools miss.
Frequently asked questions
What does お疲れ様です mean in a Japanese workplace?
お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu) literally means "you are tired / you have worked hard" and functions as a general workplace greeting used throughout the day — when meeting colleagues, ending a phone call, or leaving the office. The casual form お疲れ is used among equals or close colleagues.
What is the difference between 先輩 (senpai) and 上司 (joushi)?
先輩 (senpai) means someone more experienced or senior at the same company — seniority by time and experience, not necessarily rank. 上司 (joushi) is your direct manager or supervisor — a formal hierarchical position. You can have a 先輩 who is not your 上司, and your 上司 might not be your 先輩.
How do you say "deadline" in Japanese?
締め切り (shimekiri) is the standard word for deadline. Common phrases: 締め切りを守る (to meet the deadline), 締め切りに間に合わない (to miss the deadline), 締め切りを延ばす (to extend the deadline). In informal contexts you may also hear 〆切 (same word, abbreviated form).
What is 有給休暇 in Japanese?
有給休暇 (yuukyuu kyuuka), often shortened to 有休 or 有給, means paid leave or paid time off. Full-time employees in Japan are legally entitled to 10 days per year after 6 months of employment, rising to 20 days maximum. Japan's 働き方改革 (work-style reform) has made taking paid leave more culturally acceptable.
What is 出張 in Japanese business?
出張 (shucchou) means a business trip. Common phrases: 出張に行く (to go on a business trip), 出張中 (currently on a business trip), 出張費 (business travel expenses). Large Japanese companies routinely send employees on 出張 between regional offices and to visit clients.