JLPT N0・N1 Vocabulary – Difference between “労わる” and “労う”
Table of Contents
1. Difference between “労わる” and “労う”
2. 労わる
3. 労う
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Similer Articles
7. Comment
Q: Do “労わる” and “労う” have different meanings?
A: Both are words that express compassion toward others, but they differ in nuance, usage, and the people they are used for.
労わる (JLPT N1)
[Meaning]
①To treat people who are physically or mentally in a weak position with kindness and compassion
②To give care or treatment; to nurse or take rest for recovery
[Examples]
怪我をしたチームメイトを労わりました。（①）
I cared for my teammate who was injured.
体調が優れないときは身体を労わったほうがいいですよ。（②）
When you don’t feel well, you should take care of your body.
① Compassion toward people in a weak position
It is often used for the elderly or the sick, and carries a meaning close to “to be kind” or “to treat with care.”
[Examples]
いつも頑張っているね。今日はゆっくり休んで、体を労わってね。
You’re always working hard. Take a good rest today and be kind to your body.
老いた両親を労わりながら暮らしています。
I live my life while taking care of my elderly parents.
② Caring for one’s own body
It is not only used for people in a weak position, but also in the sense of taking good care of one’s own body.
[Examples]
徹夜続きだったので、週末は何もせず体を労わることにしました。
Since I had been staying up all night, I decided to do nothing on the weekend and take care of my body.
季節の変わり目は体調を崩しやすいので、自分の体を労わるようにしています。
The change of seasons makes it easy to get sick, so I try to take care of my body.
Compound verb “労わり合う”
With the auxiliary “～合う,” it expresses showing compassion for and taking care of one another.
[Examples]
忙しい毎日でも、家族で労わり合う時間を大切にしたいです。
Even in our busy daily lives, I want to cherish the time when we care for each other as a family.
プロジェクトの成功は、メンバー同士が支え合い、労わり合った結果でした。
The success of the project was the result of the members supporting and caring for one another.
労う (JLPT N0)
[Meaning]
To express gratitude for someone’s hardships or efforts
[Examples]
新規プロジェクトが成功し、上司が部下たちを労いました。
The new project was a success, and the manager expressed appreciation to his subordinates.
社長自ら社員を一人ひとり労う姿が印象的でした。
It was impressive to see the president personally show appreciation to each employee.
“労う” is a word that expresses gratitude or praise toward someone who has worked hard, and is mainly used for subordinates, juniors, colleagues, or classmates—people who are of lower or equal standing.
[Examples]
いつも頑張っている社員を労って、食事会を開くことにしました。
We decided to hold a dinner party to show appreciation to the employees who are always working hard.
部下のモチベーションを保つためには、しっかり労うことです。
To maintain the motivation of subordinates, it is important to properly show appreciation for their efforts.
“労う” is also often used together with “合う” to form the compound verb “労い合う.” The element “～合う” means “to do something mutually,” so “労い合う” expresses the idea of mutually showing appreciation for each other’s hardships and efforts.
[Examples]
試合のあと、仲間と「よく頑張ったね」と言って労い合いました。
After the game, we said “Good job” to each other and shared words of appreciation.
「今日も一日お疲れさま」と労い合うことで、職場の雰囲気が和らぎます。
By saying “Thank you for your hard work today” to each other, the atmosphere in the workplace becomes more relaxed.
There is also the expression “労をねぎらう,” which has the same meaning as “労ねぎらう.”
[Examples]
社長から社員一人ひとりに、これまでの労をねぎらう言葉がかけられました。
The president spoke words of appreciation to each employee for their hard work up to that point.
上司が「皆さんの労をねぎらいたいと思います。本当にお疲れさまでした」と挨拶しました。
The manager greeted the staff by saying, “I would like to express my appreciation for your efforts. Thank you very much for your hard work.”
“労う” is originally a word used for subordinates or people of equal standing. When used toward superiors such as bosses or seniors, it may sometimes be considered rude.
Therefore, when addressing superiors, it is more appropriate to use expressions of gratitude such as:
「いつもありがとうございます」(Thank you as always.)
「大変お世話になっております」(I truly appreciate all your support.)
「ご尽力に感謝いたします」(I am grateful for your efforts.)
「お疲れ様でございました」(Thank you very much for your hard work.)
Let’s Compare
Which expression is more appropriate in the following case?
[Example]
①泣いている後輩を労わりました。
②泣いている部下を労いました。
The correct answer is ①.
“労わる” is used toward people who are physically or mentally weakened, and it expresses showing compassion and treating them with kindness. In a situation like a junior who is crying and feeling down, “労わる” is the suitable choice.
On the other hand, “労う” is a word that shows gratitude for effort or hardship, so it does not fit when addressing someone who is crying. Therefore, in this case, “労わる” is the natural expression to use.
Now, how about the following example?
[Example]
① 体調を崩した同僚を労わりました。
② 体調を崩した同僚を労いました。
The correct answer is also ①.
When showing concern for someone who is unwell, “労わる” is the appropriate choice.
In this way, it is easier to distinguish the two if you remember:
• For someone who is weakened → use “労わる”
• For someone who has made efforts → use “労う”
Summary
[労わる]
- ① To treat people who are physically or mentally weak (such as the elderly or the sick) with kindness and compassion.
- ② It is also used in the sense of taking care of one’s own body.
- A related expression is 労わり合う (to care for one another).
[労う]
- A word used to express gratitude or praise to someone who has worked hard or made an effort.
- The target is usually subordinates, juniors, or people of the same standing such as colleagues or classmates.
- Related expressions include 労い合う (to recognize each other’s efforts) and 労をねぎらう (same meaning as 労う).
Similer Articles
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