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.
子どもたちは紙コップで工作をした。
The children did craft work with paper cups.
夏休みの工作を学校に
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.
機械工作の授業で金属を削った。
We cut metal in the machine-work class.
この部品は精密な工作を必要とする。
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.
彼らは選挙前に裏工作を進めた。
They pushed ahead with behind-the-scenes maneuvering before the election.
その国は海外で世論工作を行ったと報じられた。
It was reported that the country carried out opinion-manipulation operations overseas.