Word Detail

The Japanese word 保育士 保育士 refers to a qualified childcare worker or early childhood educator. These professionals are responsible for the care, education, and development of young children, typically aged from infancy to pre-school age. They work in various settings, including nurseries, kindergartens, and day-care centers. Their duties include creating a safe and stimulating environment, planning and implementing age-appropriate activities, supervising children's play, and communicating with parents. They play a crucial role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children.

⚫︎彼女は熱心な保育士です。 Translation: She is a dedicated childcare worker. ⚫︎子供たちは保育士の先生が大好きです。 Translation: The children love their childcare teachers. ⚫︎来年から保育士として働く予定です。 Translation: I plan to work as a childcare worker starting next year.

This word is used when referring to a person whose profession involves taking care of and educating young children. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts. When speaking about someone's job, you would typically use 保育士, or its variations. If you are describing a specific person, you might say 彼は保育士です（He is a childcare worker）.

保育士 is typically written with the kanji 保育 (hoiku - childcare) and the kanji 士 (shi - person/professional). It is most commonly written as 保育士. There are no significant variations in okurigana. It is often written in hiragana as the reading ほいくし.

⚫︎保育者 (hoikusha): A broader term that encompasses anyone involved in childcare, including 保育士. ⚫︎保母さん (bomosan): Older term for a female childcare worker. (Less common now) ⚫︎先生 (sensei): Teacher. Can be used to refer to a childcare worker, especially in a kindergarten setting.

There aren't direct antonyms as this is a profession. The opposite of working with children could be someone who works with adults, like a 教師 (kyoushi - teacher).

私の姉は資格を取って、立派な保育士になりました。 ・Translation: My older sister obtained a license and became a wonderful childcare worker. ・Explanation: This sentence describes how a person became a 保育士.

将来、子供たちのために働きたいので、私は保育士になりたいです。 ・Translation: Because I want to work for children in the future, I want to become a childcare worker. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the aspiration to become a 保育士.

The word 保育士 is derived from the following: 保育 (hoiku), meaning "childcare" or "nurturing", and 士 (shi), a suffix indicating a "person" or "professional." Thus, it literally means "childcare professional" or "childcare worker." The word reflects the core duties and responsibilities associated with the profession.