Meaning
The kanji 雇 (やと.う, コ) primarily means 'to hire,' 'to employ,' or 'to engage' someone for work. It's an essential character for understanding terms related to labor, jobs, and the workforce in Japanese society.
Looking at its etymological roots helps us understand its meaning. 雇 is a phono-semantic compound, combining elements for both sound and meaning. The left component, 戸 (と), signifies a 'door' or 'household,' while also providing a phonetic hint. The right component, 隹 (とり), depicts a 'short-tailed bird' or an 'old bird.' Historically, the 隹 radical was sometimes linked to concepts of gathering, accumulation, or even being recruited or employed. Putting these together, the character suggests bringing someone into one's 'door' or 'household' (戸) for service, much like collecting or engaging someone (隹) for work. This visual image of inviting someone through a door to join an enterprise for labor forms the strong foundation for its modern meaning of employment.
Although not assigned to a specific elementary school grade, 雇 is a Jōyō kanji, included in the list of 2,136 characters designated for common use. The kanji 雇 is composed of 12 strokes. Its radical is 戸, which means "door" or "household."
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The On'yomi (Chinese-derived reading) for 雇 is コ (ko).
コ (ko): You'll most often find this reading in compound words, particularly those related to formal employment and labor.
雇用 (koyou) — employment; the act of hiring or being hired. This is one of the most essential terms that uses this kanji.
解雇 (kaiko) — dismissal; layoff; the act of firing an employee.
被雇用者 (hikoyousha) — an employee; a person who is hired.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading) for 雇 is やと.う (yato.u).
やと.う (yato.u): This reading is used for the verb form, meaning 'to hire' or 'to employ.'
雇う (yatou) — to hire; to employ (e.g., to hire staff for a company).
雇われる (yatowareru) — to be hired; to be employed (the passive form of 雇う).
雇い主 (yatouinushi) — an employer; the person or entity that hires someone.
Common Words & Compounds
Below, we examine common words and compounds using 雇, grouped by theme to illustrate their diverse usage:
Employment Status & Actions
- 雇用 (koyou) — employment; engagement. This term refers to the overall state of hiring and being hired. For example, 新しい雇用を創出する (atarashii koyou o soushutsu suru - to create new employment).
- 解雇 (kaiko) — dismissal; layoff. The act of terminating an employee's contract. For instance, 彼は会社を解雇された (kare wa kaisha o kaiko sareta - He was fired from the company).
- 新規雇用 (shinki koyou) — new employment; new hires. Refers to the creation of new jobs or the hiring of new staff.
- 終身雇用 (shuushin koyou) — lifetime employment. A traditional Japanese employment system where employees work for one company until retirement.
People Involved in Employment
- 被雇用者 (hikoyousha) — employee. A person who is hired or employed by someone else.
- 雇い主 (yatouinushi) — employer. The person or organization that hires employees.
- 雇人 (yatoinin) — hired person; employee. This is a more traditional or direct term for a hired worker.
Types of Employment
- 日雇い (hiyatoi) — daily hire; day labor. Employment on a day-to-day basis.
- 臨時雇い (rinji yatoi) — temporary employment. Hiring for a limited period or specific task.
- 外国人雇用 (gaikokujin koyou) — employment of foreign nationals.
- 期間雇用 (kikankoyou) — fixed-term employment. Employment for a specified duration.
Example Sentences
彼らは新しいスタッフを雇うことを決定しました。
Karera wa atarashii sutaffu o yatou koto o kettei shimashita.
They decided to hire new staff.
会社は彼をエンジニアとして雇った。
Kaisha wa kare o enjinia to shite yatotta.
The company hired him as an engineer.
終身雇用の慣習は日本の労働市場の特徴です。
Shuushin koyou no kanshuu wa Nihon no rōdō shijō no tokuchō desu.
The custom of lifetime employment is a characteristic of the Japanese labor market.
多くの人が新しい雇用の機会を探している。
Ōku no hito ga atarashii koyou no kikai o sagashite iru.
Many people are looking for new employment opportunities.
彼は先日、アルバイトとして雇われたばかりです。
Kare wa senjitsu, arubaito to shite yatowareta bakari desu.
He was just hired as a part-timer the other day.
このプロジェクトのために、臨時の作業員を雇うことにした。
Kono purojekuto no tame ni, rinji no sagyōin o yatou koto ni shita.
We decided to hire temporary workers for this project.
経済の悪化により、多くの企業が従業員を解雇せざるをえなかった。
Keizai no akka ni yori, ooku no kigyō ga jūgyōin o kaiko sezaru o enakatta.
Due to the economic downturn, many companies had no choice but to lay off employees.
私たちの目標は、より多くの人々に安定した雇用を提供することです。
Watashitachi no mokuhyō wa, yori ooku no hitobito ni antei shita koyou o teikyō suru koto desu.
Our goal is to provide stable employment to more people.
彼は新しい事業を始めるために、数人の従業員を雇う必要がある。
Kare wa atarashii jigyō o hajimeru tame ni, suunin no jūgyōin o yatou hitsuyō ga aru.
He needs to hire several employees to start his new business.
面接の結果、彼女は最終的にそのポジションに雇われることになった。
Mensetsu no kekka, kanojo wa saishūteki ni sono pojishon ni yatowareru koto ni natta.
As a result of the interview, she was ultimately hired for that position.
Memory Tip
To remember 雇, visualize its components: 戸 (door) and 隹 (bird). Picture yourself opening a 'door' (戸) to 'hire' a 'bird' (隹) for its services as a messenger. This vivid image helps you recall that 雇 means 'to hire' or 'to employ.'