duty, war, campaign, drafted labor

About this kanji

The kanji 役 (やく) primarily means "duty" or "role" and is often used in the context of responsibilities or positions. It typically appears in noun form rather than as a verb. Some common compounds include 現役 (げんえき), meaning "active duty," which refers to someone currently serving in a role, and 主役 (しゅやく), meaning "leading part" or "main role," often used in theater or films. Another interesting compound is 役員 (やくいん), referring to a "director" or "officer" in an organization. Note that 役 can also imply a sense of service or obligation, indicating the importance of fulfilling one's duties.

Example sentences

• 彼はその役を演じた。

  He played that role.

Meanings across languages

English

duty, war, campaign, drafted labor, office, service, role

Tiếng Việt

nhiệm vụ

日本語

役割

한국어

의무

中文

职责

id

tugas, perang, kampanye, tenaga kerja terpaksa, kantor, layanan, peran

th

หน้าที่, สงคราม, แคมเปญ, การบังคับทำงาน, สำนักงาน, บริการ, บทบาท

es

deber, guerra, campaña, trabajo forzado, oficina, servicio, rol

fr

devoir, guerre, campagne, travail forcé, bureau, service, rôle

de

Pflicht, Krieg, Kampagne, gezwungenen Arbeitsvertrag, Amt, Dienst, Rolle

pt

dever, guerra, campanha, trabalho forçado, cargo, serviço, papel

Common compounds

• 現役げんえきactive duty, active service, student taking (university) entrance exams while still enrolled in school
• 三役さんやくthree highest ranks (wrestling, unions, etc.), three parts, three divisions
• 主役しゅやくleading part, leading actor, leading actress
• 懲役ちょうえきpenal servitude, imprisonment with hard labor (hard labour)
• 役員やくいんdirector, executive, officer
• 役割やくわりpart, assigning (allotment of) parts, role
• 役者やくしゃactor, actress, man of wits
• 役所やくしょgovernment office, public office