働く
hataraku
Definition
To work or labor, especially at a job or physical task. It describes the act of doing productive activity, usually for pay.
Example
彼女は毎日一生懸命働く。
Show translation
She works very hard every day.
Etymology
From Old Japanese. The verb 働く (hataraku) is thought to derive from 傍らく (hatarawaku), meaning "to move around at someone's side," combining 傍 (hata, "beside/nearby") and a movement root. Over time it narrowed to mean purposeful work or labor. The kanji 働 is a Japanese-made character (国字, kokuji) combining 人 (person) and 動 (move/motion) — literally "a person in motion."
Cultural note
Japan has a strong cultural emphasis on diligent work, captured in concepts like 勤勉 (kinben, "diligence"). The extreme end of this work culture even gave rise to the word 過労死 (karōshi), meaning "death from overwork." On a lighter note, the phrase 働きすぎ (hataraki-sugi, "working too much") is a common topic in modern conversation as work-life balance becomes a growing priority in Japanese society.