社畜(しゃちく)

しゃちく
noun
corporate slave, company drone
informalslangbusinessperson
1. corporate slave, company drone
A person who works excessively long hours and sacrifices their personal life for their company, often without adequate compensation or recognition. A derogatory and self-deprecating term blending 会社(かいしゃ) (company) and 家畜(かちく) (livestock).
毎日(まいにち)残業(ざんぎょう)で、完全(かんぜん)に社畜(しゃちく)だ。
I work overtime every day — I'm a total corporate slave.
社畜(しゃちく)生活(せいかつ)から抜(ぬ)け出(だ)したい。
I want to escape the life of a corporate slave.
休日(きゅうじつ)も会社(かいしゃ)から電話(でんわ)がかかってきて、「自分(じぶん)は社畜(しゃちく)だな」と思(おも)った。
Even on my days off the company calls me, and I thought, 'I really am a corporate slave.'

Usage

A portmanteau of 会社(かいしゃ) (company) and 家畜(かちく) (livestock), implying that the worker is treated like an animal by their employer. The term emerged in the 1990s and became widespread on the internet and social media. Often used self-deprecatingly by overworked employees.

This is an informal, colloquial term. It would not be used in formal business contexts.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.26 23:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13744_shachiku