職 means “job, employment”

しょく · shoku

Also: post, work

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ショク, ソク

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 18 strokes

The story

An ear (耳) tuned to every sound (音) and a halberd (戈) at hand: picture a guard who knows exactly where his post is. 職 is your place in the working world, the 職業 on every form and the 就職 students in black suits spend months chasing.

Used in 職場 (shokuba, workplace), 職業 (shokugyou, occupation), and 就職 (shuushoku, getting a job)

More from At the Office

• 役 role
• 備 prepare
• 席 seat
• 労 labor
• 号 number
• 具 tool
• 勤 work for
• 部 part
• 約 promise
• 務 duty
• 機 machine
• 予 beforehand

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.