(ひやと)

ひやとい
noun
day labor; day laborer
work
1. day labor; daily employment
Work that is hired and paid on a daily basis, without a long-term contract.
日雇(ひやと)(はたら)いている
I work as a day laborer.
Day labor doesn't provide a stable income.
There are many day laborers at construction sites.
2. day laborer; casual worker
A person who works on a day-to-day basis, typically in construction or manual labor. Can carry connotations of precarious employment.
There are many day laborers at construction sites.
(わか)(ころ)日雇(ひやと)生計(せいけい)()てていた
When I was young, I made a living doing day labor.
Laws to protect the rights of day laborers have been developed.
In postwar Osaka, there were districts where day laborers gathered.

A compound of () (day) and (やと)い (hiring). Can refer to either the work arrangement or the worker.

Cultural note

日雇(ひやと)労働(ろうどう) has been a significant social issue in Japan. Areas like (かま)(さき) in Osaka and 山谷(さんや) in Tokyo were historically known as day laborer districts.

Common collocations