Translation guide
The English word 'workman' refers to a person who does manual or physical work, often in construction, repair, or maintenance. In Japanese, there is no single direct equivalent that covers all uses naturally. The best choice depends on the type of work, context, and level of formality.
A person employed for physical work, especially in building or outdoor settings.
A general term for a worker engaged in physical tasks, often at construction sites or factories. Neutral and widely understood.
Workmen are repairing the road.
A skilled craftsman or artisan. Implies mastery of a trade like carpentry, plastering, or metalwork. Not for unskilled laborers.
He is a skilled workman.
A broader term for 'worker' or 'laborer', often used in economic or political contexts. Can sound formal or abstract.
Many workmen are working in the factory.
Specifically a construction laborer doing heavy earthwork or groundwork. Can sound rough or old-fashioned; sometimes considered derogatory.
Use with care; may carry a negative nuance of unskilled, tough manual labor.
Workman's work is tough.
A person who comes to fix or maintain something in a home or building.
Specifically a repairman. Often used for mechanics or technicians fixing appliances, cars, etc.
The workman fixed the air conditioner.
A casual, everyday way to say 'the repair person'. Natural in spoken Japanese.
The workman is coming tomorrow.
Technician or engineer. More formal and implies specialized technical skill, not just manual labor.
Emphasizing that someone does physical work for a living, often with a sense of pride or contrast.
The English word 'workman' often sounds unnatural if translated literally into Japanese. Instead, choose a term based on the specific job or context. For example, 'the workman came to fix the sink' is better as 「修理の人が来た」 than 「作業員が来た」, which sounds like a construction crew arrived.
作業員 (sagyōin) is a neutral term for a manual worker at a site. 職人 (shokunin) implies skilled craftsmanship. 労働者 (rōdōsha) is a broader, often political/economic term for 'laborer'. Use 作業員 for general physical workers, 職人 for artisans, and 労働者 in discussions about labor rights or statistics.
Workmen are assembling scaffolding.
A workman handcrafts furniture.
Protect the rights of workmen.
The workman painted the house.
A skilled workman can fix anything.
The workmen are on strike.
技術者が設備の点検を行った。
The workman inspected the equipment.
He's a workman; he doesn't do desk work.