働 means “work, labor”
はたらく · hataraku
Also: (kokuji)
- Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
- はたらく
- On'yomi (Chinese reading)
- ドウ
JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 4 · 13 strokes
The story
A person (亻) set beside motion (動): a kanji Japan invented itself when no Chinese character captured its feeling for labor. To 働く is more than earning: it is moving for the sake of others.
Used in 働く (hataraku, to work), 労働 (roudou, labor), and 共働き (tomobataraki, dual-income household)
More from Work & Industry
- 仕 serve
- 事 matter
- 者 person
- 合 fit
- 業 business
- 員 member
- 代 generation
- 主 main
- 不 not
- 作 make
- 用 utilize
- 産 produce
Learn 働 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji
Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.