What is the Equivalent of Adding -er to a verb to make it "One who does x"?


In English, to make a verb into "someone or something that does x" we add -er
to the verb. Examples:

  * crush → crusher
  * teach → teacher
  * run → runner
  * spin → spinner

Is there a similar rule or pattern in Japanese?




Some kanji suffixes can be used for this.

Probably the most generic and closest to `-er` is `-者{しゃ}`：

  * 医{い}者{しゃ} (doctor, physician)
  * 歯{は}医{い}者{しゃ} (dentist)
  * 忍{にん}者{じゃ} (ninja) 
  * 責任者{せきにんしゃ} (person responsible/in charge) 
  * 関係者{かんけいしゃ} (authorized person, staff) 
  * 科学者{かがくしゃ} (scientist) 
  * 通訳者{つうやくしゃ} (interpreter) 

[More such
words](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_words_suffixed_with_%E8%80%85)
(Wiktionary link)

_NB_ : in some compounds `者` is read as `もの`, e.g. 若{わか}者{もの}, 馬鹿{ばか}者{もの},
愚{おろ}か者{もの}.

Other common suffixes:

-屋{や} (usually, but not always used for occupations with a [work]shop)

  * 八{や}百{お}屋{や} (greengrocer)
  * 肉{にく}屋{や} (butcher)
  * 床{とこ}屋{や} (barber)
  * 大{おお}屋{や} (landlord/landlady)
  * 酒屋{さかや} (sake dealer/brewer)
  * 質屋{しちや} (pawnbroker)
  * 殺{ころ}し屋{や} (professional killer/hitman)

-家{か} can be used for professions usually(but not always) related to creativity:

  * 漫画家【まんがか】 (mangaka, manga/comic writer)
  * 画家 【がか】 (painter)
  * 作家【さっか】 (writer/author)
  * 小説家【しょうせつか】 (novelist, fiction writer)
  * 作詞家【さくしか】 (lyricist, songwriter)
  * 芸術家【げいじゅつか】 (artist (in entertainment industry))
  * 評論家【ひょうろんか】 (critic)
  * 農家 【のうか】 (farmer/plant grower)
  * 実業家【じつぎょうか】 (businessman)

yet another suffix is -手{しゅ}:

  * 歌手{かしゅ} - singer
  * 選手{せんしゅ} - sportsman
  * 運転手{うんてんしゅ} - driver/chauffeur
  * 投手{とうしゅ} - baseball pitcher
  * 騎手{きしゅ} - horseman/rider

_NB_ : this suffix has been repurposed by Niconico Video users to refer to
amateur artists posting videos of their performances. They use the same 手
kanji but with the て (kun) reading:

-歌{うた}い手{て} ([ _utaite_](http://utaite.wikia.com/wiki/Utaite), amateur singer) from 歌手{かしゅ} (singer) -踊{おど}り手{て} ( _odorite_ , amateur dancer) from 踊{おど}る (dance)

in a few rare cases this suffix is also read -て in common words as well
(thanks to @EiríkrÚtlendi):

  * 買手【かいて】 (buyer/purchaser) 
  * 選【えら】び手【て】(selector/chooser) 
  * 使【つか】い手【て】(user of smth.)




Some kanji suffixes can be used for this.

Probably the most generic and closest to `-er` is `-者{しゃ}`：

  * 医{い}者{しゃ} (doctor, physician)
  * 歯{は}医{い}者{しゃ} (dentist)
  * 忍{にん}者{じゃ} (ninja) 
  * 責任者{せきにんしゃ} (person responsible/in charge) 
  * 関係者{かんけいしゃ} (authorized person, staff) 
  * 科学者{かがくしゃ} (scientist) 
  * 通訳者{つうやくしゃ} (interpreter) 

[More such
words](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_words_suffixed_with_%E8%80%85)
(Wiktionary link)

_NB_ : in some compounds `者` is read as `もの`, e.g. 若{わか}者{もの}, 馬鹿{ばか}者{もの},
愚{おろ}か者{もの}.

Other common suffixes:

-屋{や} (usually, but not always used for occupations with a [work]shop)

  * 八{や}百{お}屋{や} (greengrocer)
  * 肉{にく}屋{や} (butcher)
  * 床{とこ}屋{や} (barber)
  * 大{おお}屋{や} (landlord/landlady)
  * 酒屋{さかや} (sake dealer/brewer)
  * 質屋{しちや} (pawnbroker)
  * 殺{ころ}し屋{や} (professional killer/hitman)

-家{か} can be used for professions usually(but not always) related to creativity:

  * 漫画家【まんがか】 (mangaka, manga/comic writer)
  * 画家 【がか】 (painter)
  * 作家【さっか】 (writer/author)
  * 小説家【しょうせつか】 (novelist, fiction writer)
  * 作詞家【さくしか】 (lyricist, songwriter)
  * 芸術家【げいじゅつか】 (artist (in entertainment industry))
  * 評論家【ひょうろんか】 (critic)
  * 農家 【のうか】 (farmer/plant grower)
  * 実業家【じつぎょうか】 (businessman)

yet another suffix is -手{しゅ}:

  * 歌手{かしゅ} - singer
  * 選手{せんしゅ} - sportsman
  * 運転手{うんてんしゅ} - driver/chauffeur
  * 投手{とうしゅ} - baseball pitcher
  * 騎手{きしゅ} - horseman/rider

_NB_ : this suffix has been repurposed by Niconico Video users to refer to
amateur artists posting videos of their performances. They use the same 手
kanji but with the て (kun) reading:

-歌{うた}い手{て} ([ _utaite_](http://utaite.wikia.com/wiki/Utaite), amateur singer) from 歌手{かしゅ} (singer) -踊{おど}り手{て} ( _odorite_ , amateur dancer) from 踊{おど}る (dance)

in a few rare cases this suffix is also read -て in common words as well
(thanks to @EiríkrÚtlendi):

  * 買手【かいて】 (buyer/purchaser) 
  * 選【えら】び手【て】(selector/chooser) 
  * 使【つか】い手【て】(user of smth.)

