勤め先

つとめさき

place of work

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"勤め先" refers specifically to the place where someone works, often implying a formal or regular employment setting. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Japanese to talk about one's workplace.

Common Contexts

You will often hear "勤め先" when discussing employment details, such as where someone works, the company name, or workplace relationships. It is a neutral term suitable for formal and informal contexts.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 勤め先を変える: to change one's workplace
  • 勤め先の人間関係: workplace human relationships
  • 勤め先が決まる: to have one's place of work decided

These phrases are useful when talking about job changes, workplace environment, or employment status.

Usage Tips

"勤め先" is often used instead of more casual words like "会社" (company) when emphasizing the place of employment rather than the company itself. Avoid confusing it with "勤務先" which is a synonym but slightly more formal and often used in official documents.

Example Sentences

かれのつとめさきはとうきょうのおおてきぎょうです。

His place of work is a major company in Tokyo.

つとめさきでのにんげんかんけいになやんでいる。

I am troubled by human relationships at my workplace.

あたらしいつとめさきをさがしています。

I am looking for a new place of work.