事 means “matter, affair”

こと · koto

Also: thing, fact, business

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

こと, つかう, つかえる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジ, ズ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 3 · 8 strokes

The story

A hand gripping a writing brush over official records: affairs worth setting down. Work itself is 仕事, "the matters one serves": in Japan, what you do and who you are share a word.

Used in 仕事 (shigoto, work), 大事 (daiji, important), and 食事 (shokuji, meal)

Words with 事

• 仕事 (しごと, shigoto): work / job
• 食事 (しょくじ, shokuji): meal

More from Work & Industry

• 者 person
• 合 fit
• 業 business
• 員 member
• 代 generation
• 主 main
• 不 not
• 作 make
• 用 utilize
• 産 produce
• 計 measure
• 特 special

Learn 事 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

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