Yuka通勤 vs 出勤 — both involve going to work, but they focus on different aspects. If you want to talk about work life in Japanese, knowing the difference is essential!
ReiThese two words come up constantly in Japanese work culture conversations. Let's compare them clearly so you never mix them up.
At a Glance
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 通勤 | つうきん | Commuting to work | The journey/process of getting to and from work |
| 出勤 | しゅっきん | Going to work, starting work | The act of arriving at/reporting to the workplace |
通勤 (つうきん) — Commuting
通勤 refers to the act of commuting — the regular travel between home and workplace. It focuses on the journey itself.
- 通勤時間 (つうきんじかん) — commute time
- 通勤ラッシュ — rush hour (commuter rush)
- 通勤電車 — commuter train
- 通勤定期 (つうきんていき) — commuter pass
- 徒歩通勤 — walking commute
Yuka通勤時間が1時間以上かかる。
My commute takes more than an hour.
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 通勤ラッシュで電車がすごく混んでいた。 | The train was packed during rush hour. |
| 在宅勤務になってから通勤がなくなった。 | Since working from home, I no longer have a commute. |
| 通勤定期を買った。 | I bought a commuter pass. |
出勤 (しゅっきん) — Going to Work / Reporting for Work
出勤 means going to work or reporting for duty — the act of showing up at the workplace. It focuses on the worker's presence at the office/site, not the journey.
- 出勤する — to go to work / to show up for work
- 出勤時間 — start-of-work time
- 出勤日 — workday
- 出勤簿 (しゅっきんぼ) — attendance record
- 欠勤 (けっきん) — absence from work (opposite)
Rei出勤 pairs with 退勤 (たいきん) — leaving work. 出勤する = clock in; 退勤する = clock out. This is essential vocabulary for Japanese work culture and timesheets.
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 今日は8時に出勤した。 | I started work at 8 today. |
| 明日は出勤しますか？ | Are you going in to work tomorrow? |
| 出勤日は週5日です。 | I work 5 days a week. |
Key Difference
| 通勤 | 出勤 | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | The commute journey | Arriving/being at the workplace |
| Opposite | — | 欠勤 (absence) |
| Pair | — | 出勤 ↔ 退勤 |
| Common compounds | 通勤ラッシュ、通勤定期 | 出勤簿、出勤時間 |
| Example | 通勤に1時間かかる | 今日は9時に出勤した |
Quick Quiz
Choose 通勤 or 出勤:
- 毎朝___に1時間かかる。→ 通勤
- 明日は___できますか？（来られますか？）→ 出勤
- ___ラッシュで満員電車だった。→ 通勤
- 今日は9時___の予定です。→ 出勤
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