Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "しごと", "仕事する", "作業", "息が合う"
All represent the core concept "work", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
しごと
しごと (shigoto)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
仕事する
しごと する (shigoto suru)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
作業
さぎょう (sagyō)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
息が合う
いきがあう (ikigaau)
B2 / CEFR
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "work" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "しごと", "仕事する", "作業", "息が合う" based on context.
- しごと (しごと (shigoto) - Level: N5): Maps to "work, job" and is used when Refers to employment or tasks. To work is 働きます.
- 仕事する (しごと する (shigoto suru) - Level: N4): Maps to "to work; to do work" and is used when A very common verb used for performing a job or task, often implying employment. It combines the noun '仕事'.
- 作業 (さぎょう (sagyō) - Level: N3): Maps to "work; operation; task; manufacturing; manual labor" and is used when Refers to physical or mental work, operations, manufacturing tasks, or routine processing. Often used as 組み立て作業 or データ入力作業. ⚠️ Haruka's Voice Column: 'Task! "Drawing the architectural blueprint to live together with you, Haruka-san, is a task that makes my hands shake from happiness!" ...っ! T-To call new home planning a task! B-Baka! That's a lifetime joint project! But... make sure the kitchen and garden tasks are shared by the two of us forever! dummy!' / 【ハルカ部長のワンポイント指導】『さぎょう（作業）よ！『ハルカさんと一緒に暮らすための新居の設計図を描く作業、幸せすぎて鉛筆を持つ手が震えます！』って…っ！新居設計の作業！バカ！…作業だなんて事務的に言わないの！人生最大の共同プロジェクトでしょ！…お庭のガーデニング作業も、一生二人で仲良くおしゃべりしながら共同作業しなさいよね！』.
- 息が合う (いきがあう (ikigaau) - Level: B2): Maps to "to work well together" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR B2 vocabulary syllabus..
Context for "しごと"
彼は新しい仕事を探しています。
He is looking for a new job.
Context for "仕事する"
私は毎日会社で仕事をします。
I work at the company every day.
Context for "作業"
工場での組み立て_______を完全自動化ロボットに移行することにより、ヒューマンエラーによる不良品の発生を劇的に防止しました。
By shifting the assembly work in the factory to completely automated robots, the occurrence of defective goods due to human errors was dramatically prevented.
Context for "息が合う"
毎日、日本語を練習するために息が合う。
Every day, I work well together to practice Japanese.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼は新しい仕事を探しています。" (Meaning: "He is looking for a new job.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "しごと" is correct here because it represents "work, job" in the context: "He is looking for a new job.".