Japanese symbol for “labourer”
工夫
こうふ
Romaji: koufu
labourer; laborer; workman
In Japanese, labourer is 工夫, read こうふ (koufu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n labourer; laborer; workman
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “labourer”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 土方 | どかた dokata | construction worker; laborer; labourer |
| 人足 | にんそく ninsoku | coolie; laborer; labourer |
| 労務者 | ろうむしゃ roumusha | laborer; labourer; workman |
| 作業員 | さぎょういん sagyouin | (blue-collar) worker; laborer; labourer |
| 労働者 | ろうどうしゃ roudousha | (manual) laborer; labourer; blue-collar worker |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 工場 | こうじょう koujou | factory; plant; mill |
| 工事 | こうじ kouji | construction work |
| 加工 | かこう kakou | manufacturing; processing; treatment |
| 人工 | じんこう jinkou | artificial; man-made; human work |
| 工作 | こうさく kousaku | handicraft |
| 工業 | こうぎょう kougyou | (manufacturing) industry |
| 大丈夫 | だいじょうぶ daijoubu | safe; secure; sound |
| 夫婦 | ふうふ fuufu | married couple; husband and wife; man and wife |
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.