The character 仕 relates to work; serving. Learn its readings together with whole words and see them in context.

The idea

Kanji may have native Japanese readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn a reading with its word. Learn complete words: 仕事 (しごと) means work; a job, and 仕方 (しかた) means a way of doing something. 仕 has 5 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
仕事しごとwork; a job
仕方しかたa way of doing something
仕えるつかえるto serve

Examples

  • 毎日まいにち仕事しごとで日本語にほんごを使つかいます。I use Japanese at work every day.
  • 母ははは仕事しごとを休やすみました。My mother took the day off work.
  • 料理りょうりの仕方しかたを教おしえてください。Please teach me how to cook.
  • 予約よやくの仕方しかたが分わかりません。I do not know how to make a reservation.
  • 昔むかし、侍さむらいは殿様とのさまに仕つかえました。In the past, samurai served a lord.
  • 仕事しごとのあとで友達ともだちに会あいます。I meet a friend after work.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

仕事 is work, while 仕える means to serve someone; use する for the ordinary verb “do”. Do not guess a word’s reading or meaning from the character alone: compare 仕事 and 仕方. Also compare the shapes of 仕 and 士; they are different characters. Compare the components: 仕：亻＋士／士.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 仕事 in hiragana.

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    しごと

    仕事 is read しごと and means work; a job.

  2. Write the reading of 仕方 in hiragana.

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    しかた

    仕方 is read しかた and means a way of doing something.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿える（つかえる）.

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    仕

    仕 completes 仕える, read つかえる; the word means to serve.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 仕 from memory, read 仕事 and 仕方 aloud, and make a sentence with one of them.