Translation guide
How to express praise, approval, or acknowledgment of a job well done in Japanese, depending on context and relationship.
You want to tell someone they did a good job, often after completing a task.
A standard, polite way to say 'well done' or 'good job,' often used by teachers or superiors. Literally 'you did well.'
Good work on your homework.
Common workplace phrase acknowledging someone's effort. Used when someone finishes work or a task. Implies 'thank you for your hard work.'
Good work today.
Casual, direct praise among friends or to someone of lower status. Literally 'you did well.'
Good work! That's amazing.
Means 'wonderful' or 'splendid.' Can be used alone to praise a result.
Good work. (lit. Wonderful work.)
You want to casually acknowledge someone's effort, often as a greeting or when parting.
You want to compliment the quality of something someone made or did.
お疲れ様 is safe for peers and superiors, while ご苦労様 is only for subordinates. Using ご苦労様 to a boss is rude.
Good work, manager. (polite)
Good work, newbie. (from a superior)
Directly translating 'good work' as 良い仕事 (よいしごと) is not natural for praising effort. Use よくできました or お疲れ様 instead.
Used by superiors to subordinates. Can sound condescending if used inappropriately. Less common in modern workplaces.
Avoid using to superiors or colleagues; it implies a hierarchical relationship.
Good work. You can go home now.