What is the Kanji for "Duty"?
If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Duty", you've come to the right place!
The Japanese Kanji for "Duty" is "役".
This kanji has 2 readings:
Its onyomi readings are "Eki" and "Yaku".
kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.
If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:
The radical "彳" means "Stop" . And The radical "殳" means "Pike" .
Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.
What does the kanji "役" mean in japanese?
"役" means "Duty" .
Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Third Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.
Here are some words that use this kanji:
役: "Role" or "Part". The Japanese noun 役 (やく) has two main meanings: 'role' and 'part'. It refers to the function, position, or duty that someone or something has in a particular situation or organization. For example: What role do you play in this company? - (この会社であなたの役割は何ですか?). He has a supporting role in the play - (彼は舞台でサポートの役を演じています).
役割: "Role". The Japanese noun '役割 (やくわり)' means 'role'. This word refers to the part that someone or something plays in a particular situation or activity. It can be used to describe the responsibilities, functions, or position that a person or thing has within a specific context, such as a job, relationship, or organization. For example: My role at the company is to manage the marketing department - (会社での私の役割は、マーケティング部門を管理することです). She has an important role in the team - (彼女はチームにおいて重要な役割を果たしている).
役に立つ: "Useful". The Japanese verb '役に立つ (やくにたつ)' means 'to be useful'. This verb is used to describe something or someone that is helpful, beneficial or serves a purpose. It implies that the subject is contributing value or providing assistance. For example: This tool is useful - (この道具は役に立つ). The tutor was very useful to me - (そのチューターは私に大変役に立ちました).
市役所: "City hall". The Japanese noun '市役所 (しやくしょ)' refers to a city government office or city hall. This is the main administrative building where local government offices and services are located in a city. It is where citizens can go to interact with the local government, pay taxes, apply for permits, and access other municipal services. For example: I went to city hall to apply for a business license - (私は事業許可を申請するために市役所に行きました).
区役所: "City hall". The Japanese noun '区役所 (くやくしょ)' refers to a city hall or local government office. It is the administrative center for a local city district or ward. City halls are responsible for providing various public services to residents, such as issuing official documents, registering residents, and handling community affairs. For example: Let's go to the city hall to apply for a residence certificate - (区役所に行って住民票を申請しましょう). I need to go to the city hall to pay my taxes - (税金を払うために区役所に行かなければなりません).
重役: "Executive". The Japanese noun '重役 (じゅうやく)' refers to a high-ranking corporate executive or manager. This term is used to denote someone in a position of authority and responsibility within a company or organization. For example: The executives held an important meeting - (重役たちは重要な会議を開いた). He is a senior executive at the company - (彼はその会社の重役だ).
主役: "Lead". The noun '主役 (しゅやく)' refers to the lead or main character in a play, film, or other performance. It denotes the central or most important person or role. For example: She is the lead actress in the play - (彼女がその劇の主役女優だ). The lead character in the novel is very interesting - (その小説の主役はとても興味深い).
役所: "Office". The Japanese noun '役所 (やくしょ)' means 'office'. This word refers to a government or administrative office, such as a city hall, post office, or tax office. It is commonly used to describe places where people go to handle official paperwork and business with the government. For example: I need to go to the office to get my driver's license - (免許証を取るために役所に行かなければなりません). The city office is where you can pay your taxes - (税金を払うところは役所です).
役立つ: "Useful". The Japanese verb ' 役立つ (やくだつ)' means 'to be useful'. This verb describes something or someone that is beneficial, valuable, or serves a practical purpose. It can be used to refer to objects, skills, or people that provide help or assistance. For example: This tool is useful - (この道具は役立つ). My knowledge of programming is useful at work - (私のプログラミングの知識は仕事で役立つ).
役員: "Officer". The Japanese noun '役員 (やくいん)' means 'officer'. This word refers to a person who holds an official position or serves in a leadership role within an organization, such as a company, association, or government agency. 役員 can include executives, directors, managers, and other high-ranking individuals who are responsible for making important decisions and overseeing the operations of the organization. For example: The company's officers met to discuss the quarterly report - (会社の役員は四半期報告書について話し合いました).
役人: "Official". The Japanese noun '役人 (やくにん)' means 'official'. This word refers to a government or public sector employee who holds some kind of administrative or bureaucratic position. 役人 can be used to describe various types of public servants, from low-level clerks to high-ranking civil servants. For example: The government official said... - (役人が言いました...) Civil servants work diligently - (役人たちは熱心に働いている)
役目: "Role". The noun '役目 (やくめ)' refers to the part that one plays, the function or duty that one has. It can be used to describe someone's role or responsibilities within a group, organization, or society. For example: My role is to cook the meals - (私の役目は食事を作ることです). She has an important role in the company - (彼女は会社で重要な役目を持っている).
役者: "Actor". The Japanese noun '役者 (やくしゃ)' refers to a person who performs in theatrical productions, films, or other dramatic performances. An actor is someone who portrays a fictional or historical character on stage, in movies, or in other types of performances. For example: She is a famous movie actor - (彼女は有名な映画俳優です). The actor gave a powerful performance - (俳優は強烈なパフォーマンスを見せた).
現役: "Active" or "Serving". The Japanese noun '現役 (げんえき)' has two main meanings. The first meaning is 'active', referring to someone or something that is currently working or in service. For example: She is still active in the company - (彼女はまだ会社で現役である). The second meaning is 'serving', as in someone who is actively serving in a job or position, such as an active-duty soldier. For example: The general is still serving in the army - (その将軍はまだ軍隊の現役である).
To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.
But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.
Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.
This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:
The hiragana "え" is read as "e". The hiragana "き" is read as "ki". The hiragana "や" is read as "ya". And The hiragana "く" is read as "ku".
