働(はたら)き

はたらき
noun
work, function
1. work, labor, effort
The act of working; one's work performance or contributions.
彼(かれ)の働(はたら)きには感謝(かんしゃ)している。
I'm grateful for his work (efforts).
彼(かれ)は働(はたら)き者(もの)だ。
He's a hard worker.
働(はたら)き者(もの) = hard worker
キャプテンの働(はたら)きで試合(しあい)に勝(か)った。
We won the game thanks to the captain's efforts.
2. function, operation, effect
How something operates or functions; its role or effect.
薬(くすり)の働(はたら)きで熱(ねつ)が下(さ)がった。
The fever went down thanks to the medicine's effect.
働き = function, effect
脳(のう)の働(はたら)きを良(よ)くする。
To improve brain function.
胃(い)の働(はたら)きが弱(よわ)くなっている。
My stomach function has weakened.

USAGE: 働(はたら)き is the noun form of 働(はたら)く. It has two main uses: (1) work/labor/contribution, and (2) function/operation.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 働(はたら)きがいい (works well, functions well)
  • 働(はたら)きが悪(わる)い (functions poorly)
  • 〜の働(はたら)き (the function of ~)
  • 働(はたら)き者(もの) (hard worker)
  • 働(はたら)き盛(ざか)り (prime working years)

COMPOUNDS:

  • 働(はたら)き方(かた) (way of working)
  • 働(はたら)き過(す)ぎ (overwork)
  • 共(とも)働(ばたら)き (dual-income household)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 仕事(しごと) - work, job (concrete)
  • 労働(ろうどう) - labor (formal)
  • 機能(きのう) - function (technical)

Related Words

Related: 働(はたら)く (verb: to work)
general
Added 2026.1.12 20:28 · Revised 2026.3.1 10:04
03500/03557_hataraki