Japanese kanji 工: 工場 and 工事

The idea

工 has 3 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read 工場 as こうじょう and 工事 as こうじ. N4 is an estimated learning level, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Examples

• 父ちちは工場こうじょうで働はたらいています。My father works in a factory.
• あの工場こうじょうは新あたらしいです。That factory is new.
• 駅えきの前まえで工事こうじをしています。There is construction in front of the station.
• 道路どうろの工事こうじは明日あした終おわります。The roadworks will end tomorrow.
• 父ちちは大工だいくで、家いえを作つくります。My father is a carpenter and builds houses.
• 大工だいくの仕事しごとを見みました。I watched a carpenter at work.

Watch out

Compare the shapes of 工 and 土. Read whole words: 工場 means factory, whereas 工事 means construction work. 工 is read こう in 工場, but く in 大工.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 工場 in hiragana.

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   こうじょう

   工場 is read こうじょう and means factory. In the example: My father works in a factory.

2. Write the reading of 工事 in hiragana.

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   こうじ

   工事 is read こうじ and means construction work. In the example: There is construction in front of the station.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿事（こうじ）［工／土］.

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   工

   工 completes 工事, read こうじ; the word means construction work.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 工 from memory, then read 工場 and 工事 aloud. Check their readings and meanings.