Translation guide
In Japanese, the concept of 'wages' is expressed through several terms that differ by pay structure, formality, and context. The most common general term is 給料 (kyūryō) for a monthly salary, while 賃金 (chingin) is used for hourly or daily wages, especially in legal or labor contexts. Other terms like 給与 (kyūyo) are broader and more formal, and サラリー (sararī) is a casual loanword. This guide helps you choose the right word based on how the pay is calculated and the situation.
You want to talk about a regular monthly salary, typically for full-time employees.
The standard word for a monthly salary. It's used in everyday conversation and is the most common term for wages from regular employment.
My salary is paid on the 25th of every month.
A loanword from English, used casually. It's common in business settings but less formal than 給料.
You want to refer to wages calculated by the hour or day, often for part-time or manual labor.
You need a formal term for wages, salary, or total compensation, often in official documents or HR contexts.
A formal term that encompasses salary, wages, and allowances. It's often used in official contexts like company regulations or tax forms.
You're discussing wages in an economic, political, or labor rights context.
給料 (kyūryō) is for regular monthly salaries. 賃金 (chingin) is for hourly/daily wages and is common in economic contexts. 給与 (kyūyo) is a formal, all-encompassing term for compensation. Use 給料 in daily conversation about your pay, 賃金 when discussing labor issues, and 給与 in official documents.
The direct loanword ワージズ (wājizu) is not used in Japanese. Always use the appropriate native term or サラリー.
I got a raise.
サラリーはいくらですか？
How much is your salary?
Refers to wages based on time worked (hourly, daily) or output. It's the standard term in labor economics and legal contexts.
The minimum wage varies by region.
He lives on daily wages from day labor.
Specifically means hourly wage. Use this when you want to be precise about the hourly rate.
The hourly wage for this job is 1000 yen.
Please check your pay slip.
Means remuneration or compensation, often for services rendered. It can include non-salary payments like fees or rewards.
The remuneration for that job was high.
The go-to term in economic discussions, labor statistics, and policy. It covers all forms of wages.
Rising wages can sometimes cause inflation.
A more technical term for labor wages, often used in economic or Marxist contexts. Less common in daily speech.
We discussed the exploitation of labor wages.
The wages of sin is death.
Biblical or metaphorical use; 報酬 is appropriate here.