Japanese kanji 員: 社員 and 店員

The idea

員 has 10 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read 社員 as しゃいん and 店員 as てんいん. N4 is an estimated learning level, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Examples

• 私わたしはこの会社かいしゃの社員しゃいんです。I am an employee of this company.
• 店員てんいんに値段ねだんを聞ききます。I ask the shop assistant the price.
• 駅員えきいんに道みちを聞ききます。I ask a station employee for directions.
• 私わたしは会社員かいしゃいんです。I am an office worker.
• ナオさんは駅員えきいんに赤あかいかばんを渡わたします。Nao hands the red bag to a station attendant.
• 私わたしはこのクラブの会員かいいんです。I am a member of this club.

Watch out

Compare the shapes of 員 and 貝. Read whole words: 社員 means company employee, whereas 店員 means shop assistant. 員 often names a member of an organisation or someone working at a place.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 社員 in hiragana.

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   しゃいん

   社員 is read しゃいん and means company employee. In the example: I am an employee of this company.

2. Write the reading of 店員 in hiragana.

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   てんいん

   店員 is read てんいん and means shop assistant. In the example: I ask the shop assistant the price.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: 店＿（てんいん）［員／貝］.

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   員

   員 completes 店員, read てんいん; the word means shop assistant.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 員 from memory, then read 社員 and 店員 aloud. Check their readings and meanings.