Translation guide
The most common and neutral word for 'employee' is 従業員 (じゅうぎょういん). However, Japanese often uses more specific terms depending on the type of employment, company relationship, or context. This guide covers the most useful expressions for an English speaker.
To refer to a person who works for a company or organization in a general sense.
The standard, neutral term for 'employee' in a business context. It refers to people employed by a company or organization.
彼は大手企業の従業員です。
He is an employee of a major corporation.
従業員の福利厚生を改善する。
Improve employee benefits.
Refers specifically to an employee of a company (会社). Often implies a regular, full-time employee with a direct employment relationship. It is commonly used when stating one's own position or referring to colleagues within the same company.
私はトヨタの社員です。
I am an employee of Toyota.
新入社員研修があります。
There is training for new employees.
Literally 'company person', this is a common way to describe someone who works for a company as an employee, often used when talking about one's occupation in general. It emphasizes the fact of being a company employee rather than the specific company.
父は会社員です。
My father is a company employee.
会社員の生活は忙しい。
The life of a company employee is busy.
Often used for employees of public institutions, schools, hospitals, or government offices. It can also refer to staff members in a more formal sense.
市役所の職員に聞いてください。
Please ask a city hall employee.
To refer to someone who works part-time, on a contract basis, or in a non-permanent position.
Short for パートタイム (part-time). Refers to part-time workers, often housewives or students, with shorter hours than full-time employees. Commonly used in retail and service industries.
スーパーでパートとして働いています。
I work part-time at a supermarket.
Often shortened to バイト. Refers to part-time or casual work, typically done by students or as a side job. It implies a less formal employment relationship than パート.
A temporary employee dispatched from a staffing agency. They work at a client company but are employed by the agency.
To refer to someone as a member of a staff or team, often in a service or collaborative context.
A loanword from English, used widely for staff in shops, restaurants, events, or projects. It has a casual, inclusive feel and does not specify employment type.
店のスタッフはみんな親切です。
The store staff are all kind.
イベントのスタッフを募集しています。
We are recruiting event staff.
Specifically a shop assistant or salesclerk. Used for employees in retail stores.
To refer to someone who works for the government or a public institution.
A civil servant or public employee. This is the standard term for government workers at national or local levels.
彼女は公務員です。
She is a government employee.
公務員試験に合格した。
I passed the civil service exam.
社員 (しゃいん) refers to an employee of a specific company, often used when the company is named or implied. 従業員 (じゅうぎょういん) is a broader term for any employee in a business context. 会社員 (かいしゃいん) describes one's occupation as a company employee, similar to 'office worker'.
私はソニーの社員です。
I am a Sony employee.
この工場には500人の従業員がいます。
This factory has 500 employees.
彼は会社員で、毎日スーツを着ている。
He is a company employee and wears a suit every day.
When introducing yourself, it's more natural to say your company name and position or simply use 会社員 (かいしゃいん) rather than 従業員 (じゅうぎょういん). Saying 'I am an employee of X' as 'Xの従業員です' can sound overly formal or impersonal.
その会社には1万人以上の従業員がいます。
The company has over 10,000 employees.
彼女はカフェでアルバイトをしています。
She is a part-time employee at a café.
大学生のとき、コンビニでアルバイトをしていました。
When I was a university student, I worked part-time at a convenience store.
A contract employee, hired for a fixed term. Not a permanent employee but has a direct contract with the company.
彼は契約社員として採用された。
He was hired as a contract employee.
派遣社員として大手企業で働く。
Work at a major company as a temp employee.
店員にサイズを聞く。
Ask the shop assistant about the size.