Translation guide
The English verb 'employ' can mean to hire someone for a job, to use a method or tool, or to keep someone busy. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To give someone a job or take them on as an employee.
We plan to employ a new staff member.
He was employed by that company.
Often used in formal or business contexts, meaning to hire or recruit. Implies a selection process.
Our company is employing experienced people.
A formal term for employment, often used in legal or economic contexts.
The government introduced policies to promote the employment of young people.
To make use of something for a particular purpose.
The most common and versatile word for 'use'. Suitable for methods, tools, skills, etc.
We employed a new technique to solve the problem.
He employed humor in his persuasion.
A more formal or literary equivalent of 使う. Often used in written language or formal speech.
To make effective use of something, often skills, knowledge, or resources. Implies utilizing something to its full potential.
To employ something with great skill or mastery, often multiple techniques or resources. Sounds advanced.
To give someone something to do, often to fill time.
A natural way to say 'keep someone busy'. The subject is the thing that occupies the person.
The project employed him fully.
Literally 'to trouble someone's hands', meaning to keep someone busy with a task, often used when asking for help or giving work.
雇う is the everyday word for hiring. 採用する is formal and implies a selection process, often used in job postings. 雇用する is technical and used in economic or legal contexts.
hire a part-timer
employ new graduates
employment contract
In English, 'employ' can sound formal when meaning 'use'. In Japanese, 使う is perfectly natural in all but the most formal situations. Overusing 用いる or 駆使する can sound stiff.
Please use this tool. (Not: Please employ this tool.)
この手法は広く用いられている。
This method is widely employed.
She employs her language skills in her work.
He employed every tactic to win.
I'm sorry to employ your time. (I'm sorry to trouble you.)