正社員（せいしゃいん、seishaいn）
- full-time employee

The Japanese word 正社員 (せいしゃいん) refers to a "regular employee" or a "full-time employee" in a Japanese company. It signifies a person who has a long-term employment contract and is entitled to various benefits and protections, unlike part-time or contract workers. ⚫︎These employees are typically hired directly by the company. ⚫︎They generally work a standard 正社員 work schedule. ⚫︎正社員 usually have greater job security. ⚫︎They typically receive benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, paid leave, and bonuses.

⚫︎山田さんは会社の正社員として働いています。 Translation: Mr. Yamada works as a full-time employee at the company. ⚫︎私は将来、正社員になりたいです。 Translation: I want to become a full-time employee in the future. ⚫︎この会社は正社員の待遇が良いと評判です。 Translation: This company is reputed to offer good treatment to its full-time employees.

You use 正社員 when discussing someone's employment status in a company. It's used in conversations about: ⚫︎Job hunting and career plans. ⚫︎Describing someone's job role and responsibilities. ⚫︎Comparing different types of employment contracts. ⚫︎Talking about company benefits and employee treatment. You can use it both formally and informally, depending on the context.

正社員 is typically written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎正 (sei) means "correct," "right," or "proper." ⚫︎社員 (shain) means "company employee." There are no variations in okurigana (the suffix hiragana) for this word.

⚫︎正規雇用 (seiki koyou) - regular employment. ⚫︎フルタイム (furutaimu) - full-time (loanword). This is a more casual term. ⚫︎常勤 (joukin) - full-time (can also refer to medical professionals or educators, and may carry a slightly more formal nuance).

⚫︎契約社員 (keiyaku shain) - contract employee. ⚫︎アルバイト (arubaito) - part-time worker (loanword). ⚫︎パート (paato) - part-time worker (loanword). ⚫︎派遣社員 (haken shain) - dispatched employee (temporary staff).

彼は正社員として入社し、今では重要なプロジェクトを任されている。 ・Translation: He joined the company as a full-time employee and is now in charge of an important project. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a person's progression from a regular employee to a position of responsibility.

転職を考えているのですが、安定した正社員の仕事を探しています。 ・Translation: I'm thinking of changing jobs, but I'm looking for a stable, full-time position. ・Explanation: This sentence indicates a preference for the stability and benefits associated with full-time employment.

The word is formed by combining the kanji 正 (sei), meaning "correct" or "regular," and 社員 (shain), which means "company employee." The combination of these two characters creates the meaning of a regular or full-time employee.