What is the Kanji for "Duty" and "Task"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Duty" and "Task", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Duty" and "Task" is "務".

This kanji has 2 readings:

Its kunyomi reading is "Tsuto".

Its onyomi reading is "Mu".

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 kanji "矛" means "Halberd", "Lance", and "Spear" and can be read as "Mu" and "Hoko". And The component "务" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "務" mean in japanese?

"務" means "Duty" and "Task".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Fifth Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

事務: "Work". The Japanese noun '事務 (じむ)' means 'work'. It refers to office work or administrative duties. This word is commonly used in the context of a job or occupation, such as office work, clerical work, or administrative tasks. For example: She does office work - (彼女は事務をしています). My work is very busy - (私の事務がとても忙しいです).

義務: "Duty". The Japanese noun '義務 (ぎむ)' means 'duty'. This word refers to an obligation or responsibility that someone is required to fulfill. It can describe a moral, legal, or professional obligation. For example: It's my duty to help my family - (家族を助けるのは私の義務です). I have a duty to protect the environment - (環境を守るのは私の義務です).

業務: "Duties". The Japanese noun '業務 (ぎょうむ)' means 'duties'. This word refers to the tasks, responsibilities, and work that someone is required to perform as part of their job or position. It is commonly used in the workplace to discuss an employee's specific duties and obligations. For example: His duties include filing reports - (彼の業務には報告書の提出が含まれる). I have many duties at my job - (私の職場では多くの業務がある).

事務所: "Office". The Japanese noun '事務所 (じむしょ)' refers to an office or a place where administrative or clerical work is carried out. It can be used to describe the physical location of a company or organization, as well as the people who work there. For example: I work in an office - (私は事務所で働いています). The company's office is located downtown - (会社の事務所はダウンタウンにあります).

事務室: "Office". The Japanese word '事務室 (じむしつ)' means 'office'. This noun refers to a room or space used for administrative or clerical work. It is a place where people perform various office tasks such as paperwork, computer work, and meetings. For example: Let's meet in the office - (事務室で会いましょう). The office is on the second floor - (事務室は2階にあります).

債務: "Debt". The noun '債務 (さいむ)' means 'debt'. This refers to an amount of money that one party owes to another party, typically as a result of borrowing. Debt can be personal, such as a mortgage or loan, or it can be owed by a business or government. Some examples: The company has a large debt burden - (その会社は巨額の債務を抱えている). I need to pay off my student debt - (私は学生ローンの債務を返済する必要がある).

務める: "Serve". The Japanese verb '務める (つとめる)' means 'to serve'. It is used to indicate that someone holds a position or performs a duty in an official or professional capacity. This verb can be used to describe occupations, roles, or responsibilities. For example: He serves as the company president - (彼は会社の社長を務めている). I serve as a teacher at the local school - (私は地元の学校で先生を務めています).

勤務: "Work". The verbal noun '勤務 (きんむ)' means 'work'. It refers to performing one's duties or responsibilities as part of an occupation or job. This term can be used to describe activities or time spent engaged in professional or employment-related tasks. For example: I have to go to work - (勤務に行かなければなりません). She is at work - (彼女は勤務中です).

公務員: "Civil servant". The Japanese noun '公務員 (こうむいん)' refers to a civil servant or government employee. Civil servants are individuals who work in the public sector, often in administrative or bureaucratic roles for the government. They are responsible for implementing government policies and providing public services. For example: She works as a civil servant in the local tax office - (彼女は地方税務庁の公務員として働いています).

事務員: "Clerk". The Japanese noun '事務員 (じむいん)' means 'clerk'. This term refers to an office worker or administrative assistant who performs clerical duties in an organization, such as filing, typing, answering phones, and other administrative tasks. For example: The clerk helped me with the paperwork - (事務員が書類の手伝いをしてくれた). I need to speak with a clerk at the front desk - (フロントの事務員に話しかけないとなりません).

公務: "Public duties". The Japanese noun '公務 (こうむ)' refers to official duties or public service work that is carried out on behalf of the government or a public organization. This word is commonly used to describe the responsibilities and tasks performed by civil servants, government officials, and other public employees in their professional capacities. For example: He has many public duties to fulfill - (彼は多くの公務を果たさなければならない). She is responsible for various public duties - (彼女は様々な公務を担当している).

外務省: "Foreign office". The Japanese noun '外務省 (がいむしょう)' refers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government agency responsible for Japan's foreign policy and diplomatic relations. This ministry handles a wide range of international affairs, including negotiating treaties, managing embassies and consulates, and representing Japan in global organizations. For example: The foreign office announced a new trade agreement - (外務省は新しい貿易協定を発表した).

職務: "Duties" or "Responsibilities". The Japanese noun '職務 (しょくむ)' refers to the duties, tasks or responsibilities associated with a particular job or position. It encompasses the various activities and obligations that an individual must fulfill as part of their professional role. For example: Her duties as a manager include supervising the team - (彼女の職務にはチームの監督が含まれる). The accountant's responsibilities cover tax filing and financial reporting - (会計士の職務には税金の申告と財務報告が含まれる).

財務: "Finance". The Japanese noun '財務 (ざいむ)' refers to the management of money, including the income, expenditures, and investments of a business, organization, or individual. It encompasses activities such as accounting, budgeting, banking, investments, and financial reporting. For example: The company's finance department oversees the financial affairs of the business - (会社の財務部門は会社の財務業務を監督している)。Financial management is a crucial aspect of running a successful business - (財務管理は事業を成功させる上で不可欠な側面である).

刑務所: "Prison". The Japanese noun '刑務所 (けいむしょ)' refers to a correctional facility or prison where individuals who have committed crimes are incarcerated. This institution is designed to house and rehabilitate offenders, providing them with basic necessities, educational programs, and opportunities for rehabilitation. It is a highly regulated environment focused on punishment, reform, and social reintegration. For example: He was sent to prison for robbery - (彼は強盗の罪で刑務所に送られた).

任務: "Duty". The Japanese noun '任務 (にんむ)' means 'duty'. This noun refers to a task or responsibility that one is assigned or expected to carry out. It can be used to describe an official or professional obligation, or a personal commitment. For example: It is my duty to help - (それが私の任務です). She has an important duty - (彼女には重要な任務がある).

外務: "Foreign affairs". The Japanese noun '外務 (がいむ)' means 'foreign affairs'. It refers to the government department or ministry responsible for a country's diplomatic relations and international affairs. This includes managing relationships with other countries, negotiating treaties and agreements, and representing the nation's interests on the global stage. For example: The foreign affairs minister met with his counterpart - (外務大臣は相手国の大臣と会談した). The foreign affairs ministry released a statement - (外務省は声明を発表した).

総務: "General affairs". The Japanese noun '総務 (そうむ)' refers to the general management, administration or coordination of an organization's overall affairs and operations. This term is commonly used to describe the department or personnel responsible for overseeing an organization's internal functions such as human resources, accounting, facility management, and other general support services. For example: The general affairs department handles all the company's administrative tasks - (総務部門は会社のすべての管理業務を扱っています).

実務: "Operations". The noun '実務 (じつむ)' refers to practical business affairs or routine work. It is often used to describe the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities involved in running a business or organization. For example: I have to focus on the operations of the company - (私は会社の実務に注力しなければならない). The new manager is experienced in office operations - (新しい管理者は実務経験が豊富だ).

務め: "Duty". The Japanese noun '務め (つとめ)' means 'duty'. This word refers to an obligation or responsibility that one has to fulfill. It can describe a task or role that someone is expected to undertake as part of their job, position, or role in society. For example: It is my duty to take care of my family - (私の務めは家族を世話することです). Her duty as a teacher is to educate students - (先生としての彼女の務めは学生を教育することです).

刑務: "Imprisonment". The noun '刑務 (けいむ)' means 'imprisonment'. This term refers to the act of confining a person in a prison or other correctional facility as punishment for a crime. It is a common consequence for criminal offenses and is part of the criminal justice system. For example: He was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment - (彼は5年の刑務所に服役することになった). The prisoner was released from imprisonment - (その囚人は刑務所から釈放された).

法務: "Legal affairs". The Japanese noun '法務 (ほうむ)' refers to legal matters, laws, and legal administration. It encompasses the study, practice, and management of legal issues and procedures. This term is often used in the context of legal departments, legal professionals, and organizations involved in the legal system. For example: The company's legal affairs department handles all our 法務. (この会社の法務部門はすべての法的問題を扱っています。)

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 "む" is read as "mu". The hiragana "つ" is read as "tsu". And The hiragana "と" is read as "to".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.