1.
shift work; working in shifts
A work schedule system where employees take turns working different time periods, typically covering a 24-hour operation.
工場では交替勤務が基本だ。
Shift work is standard at the factory.
交替勤務で夜勤が月に何回かある。
With shift work, I have night shifts several times a month.
交替勤務は体への負担が大きいが、医療や製造業では欠かせない勤務形態だ。
Shift work takes a heavy toll on the body, but it's an indispensable work arrangement in healthcare and manufacturing.
A compound of 交替 (alternation, taking turns) and 勤務 (work, duty). Also written as 交代勤務 with the variant kanji 交代.
Common in industries that require 24-hour operations: hospitals, factories, police, firefighting, and transportation.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 三交替勤務: three-shift system (day/evening/night)
- 二交替勤務: two-shift system (day/night)
- 交替勤務手当: shift work allowance
- 交替勤務の{シフト}: shift rotation schedule
SIMILAR WORDS:
- シフト制: shift system — the loanword version, common in service industries
- 夜勤: night shift — one specific shift within a rotation
- 変則勤務: irregular work hours — covers non-standard schedules more broadly