Quintuple VS
Synonym Boundary: "しごと", "作業", "息が合う", "仕掛品", "齷齪"
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
作業
さぎょう (sagyō)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
息が合う
いきがあう (ikigaau)
B2 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
仕掛品
しかかりひん (shikakarihin)
C2 / CEFR
Japanese Option E
齷齪
あくせく
C2PLUS / CEFR
Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "work" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "しごと", "作業", "息が合う", "仕掛品", "齷齪" 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.
- 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..
- 仕掛品 (しかかりひん (shikakarihin) - Level: C2): Maps to "work in process (WIP)" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR C2 vocabulary syllabus..
- 齷齪 (あくせく - Level: C2PLUS): Maps to "to work restlessly; to fuss over details" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS 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 "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.
Context for "仕掛品"
私は仕掛品に興味があります。
I am interested in work in process (WIP).
Context for "齷齪"
毎日、日本語を練習するために齷齪。
Every day, I work restlessly; to fuss over details 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.".