Translation guide
The English word 'clerk' covers a range of roles from office worker to shop assistant. In Japanese, the appropriate term depends on the workplace and duties.
A person doing general office work, paperwork, or administrative tasks.
General term for an office clerk or administrative staff member. Neutral and widely understood.
彼は小さな会社の事務員です。
He is a clerk at a small company.
Slightly more modern and casual than 事務員, often used in job listings.
事務スタッフを募集しています。
We are hiring office clerks.
Refers to the role or job category of general clerical work, often seen in job titles like 一般事務職.
彼女は一般事務の仕事を探している。
She is looking for a general clerical job.
A person working in a store, assisting customers and handling sales.
The most common word for a shop clerk or store employee. Used for any retail setting.
あの店員に聞いてみましょう。
Let's ask that clerk.
Specifically a sales clerk, emphasizing the selling aspect. Common in department stores.
Refers to the person minding the shop, often in a small store. Can imply a more casual or temporary role.
A person at the front desk of a hotel or similar establishment.
Standard term for a hotel front desk clerk. フロント alone can also refer to the desk or the staff.
フロント係にチェックインをお願いします。
Please check in with the front desk clerk.
General term for receptionist or reception desk, used in hotels, offices, hospitals, etc.
受付で名前を書いてください。
Please write your name at the reception desk.
A somewhat dated term for a male hotel employee, often implying a broader service role. Use with caution.
彼は長年ホテルマンとして働いている。
He has worked as a hotel clerk for many years.
A person working at a bank counter handling transactions.
General term for a bank employee, including tellers and other staff.
銀行員が丁寧に対応してくれた。
The bank clerk assisted me politely.
Specifically a counter clerk or teller, emphasizing the window service.
窓口係に通帳を渡した。
I handed my passbook to the teller.
A person doing clerical work in a government office.
Broad term for public servant, including administrative clerks. Often implies a stable career.
彼は市役所の公務員です。
He is a clerk at the city hall.
More specific: an office clerk at a government office. 役所 means government office.
役所の事務員に手続きを聞いた。
I asked the government clerk about the procedure.
A person assisting in legal or court settings.
Official term for a court clerk in Japan. Very specific to the judicial system.
裁判所書記官が記録を取っている。
The court clerk is taking records.
A general term for administrative officials, including those in courts or government legal departments.
The English word 'clerk' is very broad. In Japanese, you must specify the workplace or role. Using クラーク (kurāku) is possible but sounds like a loanword and is not common for most contexts.
店員 is the general term for any store employee, while 販売員 specifically refers to someone actively selling products. In a convenience store, use 店員; in a department store cosmetics section, 販売員 may be more precise.
販売員が親切に説明してくれた。
The sales clerk kindly explained it to me.
店番をしているのは店主の息子だ。
The one clerking is the owner's son.
I work as a clerk at the Legal Affairs Bureau.