勤め vs 役目​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


What is the difference between 勤め and 役目?

Both seems to mean duty ( _something that one is expected or required to do by
moral or legal obligation_ ), but what is the difference in their nuance and
usage?




役目 is closer to "role" in meaning. 勤め is what the "role" requires you to do or
what people expect you to do corresponding to the role.

You can call them "duty" as they are both roughly what you have to do.

  * a.)それがあなたの役目だ。(That is your role.=That is what you have to do.)
  * b.)それがあなたの親としての役目だ。(That is the role you have to take if you are a parent.)
  * c.)それがあなたの勤めだ。(That is what you have to do.)
  * d.)それがあなたの親としての勤めだ。(That is what you have to do as a parent.)

役目 is usually more direct and specific than 勤め. On the other hand, 勤め sounds
more abstract and takes one step further than 役目 in meaning. Basically,

b.) says: you have to take this role, because you are a parent.

d..) says: being a parent includes this as what you have to do.

To summarize, 勤め is used based on who you are as 役目 is used based on what
others think.




役目 is closer to "role" in meaning. 勤め is what the "role" requires you to do or
what people expect you to do corresponding to the role.

You can call them "duty" as they are both roughly what you have to do.

  * a.)それがあなたの役目だ。(That is your role.=That is what you have to do.)
  * b.)それがあなたの親としての役目だ。(That is the role you have to take if you are a parent.)
  * c.)それがあなたの勤めだ。(That is what you have to do.)
  * d.)それがあなたの親としての勤めだ。(That is what you have to do as a parent.)

役目 is usually more direct and specific than 勤め. On the other hand, 勤め sounds
more abstract and takes one step further than 役目 in meaning. Basically,

b.) says: you have to take this role, because you are a parent.

d..) says: being a parent includes this as what you have to do.

To summarize, 勤め is used based on who you are as 役目 is used based on what
others think.

