共働き（ともばたらき、tomobataraki）
- dual-income

The Japanese word 共働き共働き (ともばたらき) means "dual-income" or "working couple." It describes a situation where both partners in a relationship (typically a married couple) are employed and earn an income. The word highlights that both individuals contribute financially to the household. It is a very common term in modern Japanese society. The core idea is that both partners are actively engaged in working.

⚫︎共働き共働きの夫婦は、生活費を分担します。 Translation: Dual-income couples share living expenses. ⚫︎最近では、子供がいる家庭でも共働き共働きが増えています。 Translation: Recently, dual-income families are increasing, even those with children. ⚫︎彼女の両親は、ずっと共働き共働きでした。 Translation: Her parents have always been a working couple.

This word is used to describe the employment status of a couple. It's suitable for various contexts such as general conversations, news reports, and discussions about family life and economics. You can use it to talk about your own family situation or discuss trends in society. When discussing the financial aspects of a household, 共働き共働き is a very practical term.

共働き共働き is written using the kanji 共 (とも - together, both) and 働き (はたらき - work, labor). The reading is typically written in hiragana as ともばたらき. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard; you would not typically see any variations in it.

There are no direct perfect synonyms for 共働き共働き, but here are some related terms: ⚫︎ 双子世帯 ふたごせたい (futago setai): This refers to a household with two income earners. This can be used as a similar phrase for 共働き共働き in some context. ⚫︎ 共稼ぎ ともかせぎ (tomokasegi): This is another term for dual-income, though it might be considered slightly less formal than 共働き共働き.

⚫︎ 専業主婦 せんぎょうしゅふ (sengyō shufu): A full-time housewife. ⚫︎ 専業主夫 せんぎょうしゅふ (sengyō shufu): A full-time househusband. ⚫︎ 片働き かたはたらき (katahataraki): Single-income (one person in the relationship works).

彼らは《共働き共働きなので、家事と育児の分担について話し合っています。》 ・Translation: Because they are a dual-income couple, they are discussing how to share housework and childcare. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the common discussions and planning involved when both partners work.

その会社は、社員の《共働き共働きを支援するための制度を導入しました。》 ・Translation: That company introduced a system to support employees who are a working couple. ・Explanation: This shows how companies are adapting to support dual-income families with benefits and policies.

The etymology is straightforward. 共 means "together" or "both," and 働き is the gerund of the verb 働く (はたらく - to work). The combination, therefore, literally means "working together" or "both working," encapsulating the idea of a dual-income household. This term is a fairly modern combination of words to describe the evolving dynamics of modern families.