Meaning
The kanji 就 means taking up a position, settling into a role, engaging in an activity, or achieving a goal. At its core, 就 captures directed movement — professional, physical, or metaphorical — toward something, followed by the decisive act of fully assuming that state.
Structurally, 就 combines 京 (capital city, an elevated and prestigious place) on the left with 尤 (especially, outstanding) on the right. Picture someone moving purposefully toward that high place and finally settling in — ascending to a seat of authority, claiming it as their own. That image runs directly through the kanji's main modern compounds: 就職 (settling into work), 就任 (assuming an official post), and 就寝 (settling into rest for the night).
Historically, Chinese used 就 to mean "to approach," "to go toward," and "to accomplish." Japanese preserved these nuances mainly in formal, written vocabulary. Today, 就 appears most in professional, academic, and ceremonial contexts — employment announcements, official appointments, school enrollment figures, the commissioning of ships, long-held dreams finally realized. The through-line is always the same: crossing from seeking to having, from outside a role to fully inside it.
就 has 12 strokes and is a Joyo (常用) kanji taught in secondary school in Japan. It appears on the JLPT N1 exam. Its radical is 尢 (a bent figure, Kangxi radical #43), found inside the 尤 component on the right.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
就 has two on'yomi readings: シュウ (shuu) and ジュ (ju). シュウ is by far the more common, covering compounds related to employment, official duties, sleep, and entering service. ジュ survives only in a handful of classical or Buddhist-influenced terms.
シュウ (shuu) — The primary reading, found throughout formal and professional vocabulary:
- 就職 (shuushoku) — finding employment, getting a job
- 就任 (shuunin) — taking office, assuming a post
- 就寝 (shuushin) — going to bed, retiring for the night
- 就業 (shuugyou) — starting work, being employed
ジュ (ju) — The secondary reading, limited to select classical compounds:
- 成就 (jouju) — achievement, fulfillment, the realization of a dream or prayer; a key term in Buddhist contexts
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
就 has two kun'yomi verb forms: つ・く (tsuku) and つ・ける (tsukeru). Both appear mainly in written language and formal speech when describing someone taking up or being placed in a position.
つく (tsuku) — Intransitive: to take up, to assume, to go to:
- 職に就く (shoku ni tsuku) — to take a job, to start employment
- 床に就く (toko ni tsuku) — to go to bed; also, to become bedridden with illness
- 王位に就く (oui ni tsuku) — to ascend to the throne
つける (tsukeru) — Transitive: to place someone in a position:
- 職に就ける (shoku ni tsukeru) — to secure a job for someone, to place another person in employment
Common Words & Compounds
就 appears across a wide range of formal and professional vocabulary. Key compounds grouped by theme:
Employment & Career
- 就職 (shuushoku) — finding employment, getting a job; the compound students encounter most during graduation season
- 就任 (shuunin) — taking office, the formal assumption of a post or title
- 就業 (shuugyou) — starting work, being employed; appears in 就業規則 (workplace regulations)
- 就労 (shuurou) — being in employment; common in social welfare, disability support, and labor policy discussions
- 就活 (shuukatsu) — job hunting activities; shorthand for 就職活動
Education & Service
- 就学 (shuugaku) — school enrollment, starting school; used in 就学率 (school enrollment rate)
- 就航 (shuukou) — entering service (of a ship or aircraft route); a vessel or route formally becomes operational
- 就役 (shuueki) — commissioning of a naval vessel, its formal entry into active military service
Achievement & Decision
- 成就 (jouju) — achievement, fulfillment; the realization of a dream, wish, or goal; often heard as 夢が成就する (a dream is fulfilled)
- 去就 (kyoshuu) — one's course of action or career decisions; used in formal and political reporting
Daily Life & Classical Use
- 就寝 (shuushin) — going to bed, retiring for the night; the formal written term for sleeping
- 就中 (nakanzuku) — especially, above all; a classical adverb meaning "most of all" or "in particular," found in literary and formal writing
Example Sentences
来年、大学を卒業して就職する予定です。
Rainen, daigaku wo sotsugyou shite shuushoku suru yotei desu.
I plan to graduate from university next year and start working.
彼は新しい会社の社長に就任した。
Kare wa atarashii kaisha no shachou ni shuunin shita.
He was appointed president of the new company.
子どもたちは就寝前に歯を磨く。
Kodomotachi wa shuushin mae ni ha wo migaku.
The children brush their teeth before bed.
彼女の長年の夢がついに成就した。
Kanojo no naganen no yume ga tsui ni jouju shita.
Her long-held dream was finally fulfilled.
就活は大学3年生から始める人が多い。
Shuukatsu wa daigaku san-nensei kara hajimeru hito ga ooi.
Many students start job hunting in their third year of university.
職に就くことは若者にとって重要な問題だ。
Shoku ni tsuku koto wa wakamono ni totte juuyou na mondai da.
Getting a job is a serious concern for young people.
新しい航路に大型客船が就航した。
Atarashii kouro ni oogata kyakusen ga shuukou shita.
A large passenger ship entered service on the new route.
父は疲れて早く床に就いた。
Chichi wa tsukarete hayaku toko ni tsuita.
My father was tired and turned in early.
就業規則に従って行動してください。
Shuugyou kisoku ni shitagatte koudou shite kudasai.
Please follow the workplace regulations.
彼は長い就活の末に、希望の会社に就職できた。
Kare wa nagai shuukatsu no sue ni, kibou no kaisha ni shuushoku dekita.
After a long job search, he finally landed a position at his target company.
Memory Tip
To remember 就, focus on its two components: 京 (the capital — prestigious, elevated) on the left, and 尤 (especially, outstanding) on the right. Build this scene: an ambitious candidate has especially set their sights on the capital. They travel to Tokyo, walk through the company's entrance, and finally take their seat at their new desk. That settling-in moment is the essence of 就.
就職 (settling into a job), 就任 (settling into office), 就寝 (settling into bed), 成就 (settling into achievement) — every major use of this kanji shares the same core instant. You have arrived. You have claimed your place. You have finally 就いた.