作業着（さぎょうぎ、sagiょuぎ）
- work clothes

The Japanese word 作業着 (さぎょうぎ - sagyougi) refers to work clothes or workwear. It specifically describes the clothing designed for manual labor or other tasks, often in industrial, construction, or manufacturing settings. These clothes are typically durable, functional, and designed to protect the wearer. They may include items like overalls, coveralls, work pants, work shirts, and sometimes even specific footwear. The primary purpose is practicality and safety in the workplace, and 作業着 often incorporates features like reinforced stitching, multiple pockets, and reflective strips.

⚫︎工場で作業着に着替えてから、仕事に取り掛かりました。 Translation: I changed into work clothes at the factory before starting work. ⚫︎ 彼は新しい作業着を買った。 Translation: He bought new work clothes. ⚫︎ 建設現場では、安全のため全員作業着を着用しなければなりません。 Translation: Everyone must wear work clothes for safety at the construction site.

You use 作業着 when discussing work attire, particularly in contexts involving physical labor, construction, manufacturing, or similar professions. It's a common term in everyday conversation when describing what someone wears to work. You would not typically use it for office attire or formal wear.

The word 作業着 is primarily written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎ Kanji: 作業着 (this is the most common form) ⚫︎ Hiragana (reading): さぎょうぎ There is no okurigana variation.

⚫︎ 作業服 (さぎょうふく - sagyoufuku): This is a very common synonym, meaning "work clothes" or "work uniform." It can sometimes imply a more standardized or uniform appearance. ⚫︎ 仕事着 (しごとぎ - shigotogi): This is a general term for work clothes. ⚫︎ 制服 (せいふく - seifuku): While this typically refers to a uniform, in some contexts, such as a factory or construction site, it could be used interchangeably with 作業着 depending on the specific setting.

⚫︎ 私服 (しふく - shifuku): Casual clothes, or non-uniform clothing. ⚫︎ 普段着 (ふだんぎ - fudan-gi): Everyday clothes. ⚫︎ 礼服 (れいふく - reifuku): Formal wear.

彼はいつも汚れた作業着を着て仕事をしている。 ・Translation: He always wears dirty work clothes to work. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the condition of the work attire.

その作業着はとても丈夫で、長持ちする。 ・Translation: Those work clothes are very durable and long-lasting. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a characteristic of the work clothes.

The word 作業着 is composed of two parts: ⚫︎ 作業 (さぎょう - sagyou) meaning "work," "operation," or "task." ⚫︎ 着 (ぎ - gi) meaning "clothing" or "to wear." Therefore, the word literally means "work clothing."