兼業

けんぎょう

holding two jobs at the same time

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

兼業 (けんぎょう) means holding two jobs or roles simultaneously. It often refers to people who work in one main profession but also engage in another job or business. This can include a company employee who freelances, or a farmer who also runs a small shop.

Common Contexts

You will frequently see 兼業 used in contexts like 兼業農家 (farmers with another job) or 兼業主婦 (housewives who also work). It is often discussed in relation to side jobs or secondary occupations.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 兼業農家: farmers who have another job besides farming
  • 兼業主婦: housewives who also work
  • 兼業として働く: to work as a兼業, often implying a side job

Register and Nuance

兼業 is a neutral term, used in both formal and informal contexts. It does not imply any negative or positive judgment by itself. However, in business settings, it may be important to clarify company policies about兼業.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 兼業 with 副業 (ふくぎょう), which also means side job but often implies a secondary job besides the main one, usually for extra income. 兼業 emphasizes holding two roles simultaneously, not necessarily secondary in importance.

Example Sentences

かれはかいしゃいんとふりーらんすのけんぎょうをしている。

He is working both as a company employee and a freelancer.

けんぎょうのうかはのうぎょういがいのしごともしているひとのことをさす。

A兼業農家 refers to a farmer who also has a job besides farming.

さいきんはふくぎょうとしてけんぎょうをみとめるかいしゃもふえてきた。

Recently, more companies have started allowing兼業 as side jobs.