The Kanji: 働 (Dō / Hatara)
The kanji 働 means "to work," "to labor," or "to function." It uniquely combines 人 (person) with 動 (move), depicting human motion in productive activity. This character specifically represents human labor and mechanical operation.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 働く (hataraku) - To work
父は工場で働いている。
"My father works at a factory."
2. 労働 (rōdō) - Labor
労働条件が改善された。
"Working conditions have improved."
3. 仕事働 (shigotobataraki) - Work style (colloquial)
彼の仕事働は効率的だ。
"His work style is efficient."
4. 共働き (tomobataraki) - Dual-income
夫婦で共働きしている。
"We're a dual-income couple."
In summary, 働 specifically describes work activities - from individual employment (働く) and systemic labor (労働) to family economics (共働き). It's the essential character for all work-related concepts in Japanese society.