ボランティア

ぼらんてぃあ
noun
volunteer
1. volunteer
A person who freely offers to take part in an activity or provides help without payment.
ボランティア募集(ぼしゅう)する
Recruit volunteers.
Volunteers are actively working.
As a community volunteer, I read books aloud to children.
2. volunteer work
Unpaid work done to help others or the community.
ボランティア参加(さんか)する
Participate in volunteer work.
I volunteered in the disaster area.
I do volunteer activities on my days off.

ボランティア refers to both the volunteer person and volunteer activities. It can function as a noun or with する to mean "to volunteer."

ETYMOLOGY:
From English "volunteer." Volunteering has grown significantly in Japan since the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

RELATED TERMS: