Translation guide
Toil refers to hard, often physical work that is tiring and continuous. In Japanese, it can be expressed through verbs and nouns that emphasize labor, effort, and struggle.
Describing continuous, tiring physical work, often outdoors or manual.
Literally 'break one's bones', meaning to work very hard physically. Common and natural.
He toiled in the fields all day.
Literally 'shed sweat and water', meaning to work up a sweat through hard labor.
They are toiling away at the construction site.
To experience hardship or toil. Can be used for both physical and mental effort.
He toiled for his family.
Expressing that someone is working hard on something challenging, not necessarily physical.
Referring to toil as a concept or state of hard work.
骨折る is specifically physical effort, while 苦労する can be mental or emotional hardship as well. Use 骨折る for manual labor and 苦労する for broader struggles.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'toil' in all contexts. Avoid direct translations like トイル (toiru) which is not used. Instead, choose a verb or noun based on the type of effort.
He is toiling away at the new project.
The toil was worth it.
He does not mind toil.