Expressions 員いん に 備そな わるのみ being a member of staff but useless as a worker Kanji 員 employee, member, number Related words メンバー is a casual, everyday loanword for a member of a group, while 員 is a formal Sino-Japanese suffix attached to organization names (e.g. 社員 , 会員 ).
員 attaches to a group or organization to mean a member or staff person (会社員 , 店員 ), while 人 is more general and doesn't imply belonging to that group.
Counted with 員 (a member/person) is most naturally counted with 名 in formal contexts, such as headcounts of staff or personnel.
In everyday speech, 員 (a member/person) can also be counted with 人 rather than the more formal 名 .
Word family· 149 all members; everyone; all hands
assembly member; legislator; Diet member; MP; congressperson
committee member
member; membership
company employee; staff member · corporate member; stockholder (legal)
Show 25 more Show fewer staff member; employee; personnel
store employee; shop assistant; salesclerk
director; executive · officer; official; person in charge
public employee; civil servant; government worker
teacher; instructor; faculty member
member of a squad/team; troops; team members
one person; one member
number of people; personnel; staff
club member; staff member
mobilization; mobilisation
full house; no vacancy; sold out; crowded
fixed number of people; quota; prescribed complement · capacity; seating capacity
personnel; required staff; necessary hands
crew member; crew
party member
sailor; seaman; seafarer
station attendant; station staff
teaching staff; faculty
staff member; clerk; bureau employee
person in charge; official; attendant
group member; member of a troupe, corps, or organization
staff increase; hiring more people
delivery person; deliverer; courier
guest member; associate member; honorary member
staff member; official; station employee
See all 149 in Explore →
Etymology The kanji 員 originally meant 'round' or 'circle' and later came to represent a person belonging to a group, possibly from the idea of a complete set. The reading いん is the on'yomi.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
