工こう作さく

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

handicraft; craft work

Common in school and hobby contexts for making simple things by hand from paper, cardboard, wood, clay, and similar materials.

• 子こどもたちは紙かみコップで工こう作さくをした。

  The children did craft work with paper cups.

• 夏なつ休やすみの工こう作さくを学がっ校こうに持もって行いった。

  I took my summer-vacation craft project to school.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

work; construction; manufacturing; machining

Used for making, constructing, or working materials, especially in technical or compound terms such as 機械工作 and 工作物. In many everyday contexts, 加工, 製作, or 工事 may be more specific.

• 機き械かい工こう作さくの授じゅ業ぎょうで金きん属ぞくを削けずった。

  We cut metal in the machine-work class.

• この部ぶ品ひんは精せい密みつな工こう作さくを必ひつ要ようとする。

  This part requires precise machining.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

maneuvering; behind-the-scenes manipulation

Often used in compounds such as 裏工作, 政治工作, and 世論工作 for secret, strategic, or manipulative activity. The word commonly carries a suspicious or negative nuance in this use.

• 彼かれらは選せん挙きょ前まえに裏うら工こう作さくを進すすめた。

  They pushed ahead with behind-the-scenes maneuvering before the election.

• その国くには海かい外がいで世よ論ろん工こう作さくを行おこなったと報ほうじられた。

  It was reported that the country carried out opinion-manipulation operations overseas.