Salaryman

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Salaryman (サラリーマン, sararīman) is an originally Japanese word for salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer.

"Salarymen" are expected to work long hours,^[1] work overtime, drink, sing karaoke, visit hostess bars with his or her colleagues and bosses, and prioritize work over everything else in his or her life. "Salarymen" typically enter a company after graduating from college and stay with that corporation for the duration of their career.

Other popular concepts surrounding salarymen include karōshi, or death from overwork. In conservative Japanese culture, becoming a salaryman is an average career choice for young men and women and those who do not take this career path are regarded as living with a stigma and less prestige.^{[citation needed]} On the other hand, the word salaryman is sometimes used with derogatory connotation for his total dependence on his employer and lack of individuality.^{[citation needed]}