勤労 and 労働: appreciation, demanding work, and rest
Compare appreciation for long service and work-rest balance with long labor and a farm experience, keeping gifts, needed rest, and physical context distinct.
勤労: service appreciated and balance considered
勤労 (きんろう) means labor or work. 「長年の勤労に感謝して記念品が贈られた。」 means “A commemorative gift was presented in appreciation of many years of service.” A commemorative gift was presented in appreciation of many years of service. The object given is a commemorative gift, rather than wages, and the sentence does not state a particular reason for retirement.
「勤労と休息のバランスについて考えた。」 means “I thought about the balance between work and rest.” The speaker thought about the balance between work and rest. 考えた reports that reflection; it does not establish reduced working hours or adequate rest already taken.
労働: long hours and a farm experience
労働 (ろうどう) means labor. 「長時間の労働の後は十分な休息が必要だ。」 means “Adequate rest is necessary after long hours of labor.” The sentence says adequate rest is necessary after long hours of labor. 必要だ expresses a need, without reporting that the person has already rested.
「農場で働き、労働の大変さを実感した。」 means “Working on the farm made me realize how demanding physical labor is.” Working on the farm led the speaker to recognize how demanding the labor was. The translation physical labor reflects this farm-work context; it does not restrict every use of 労働 to physical work.
Read the focus within overlapping meanings
Both 勤労 and 労働 concern work, and their meanings overlap. Compare the appreciation and consideration of balance here with the need for rest after long hours and the demanding farm experience.
The gift, reflection on balance, need for rest, and farm experience belong to separate examples. Preserve each action or evaluation without turning the gift into wages or necessary rest into rest already completed.
What do a gift in appreciation of 長年の勤労 and the need for rest after 長時間の労働 each express?
Show the answer and why
The first expresses appreciation for many years of service through a commemorative gift; the second expresses a need for rest after long labor. The gift is not a wage payment, and needed rest is not completed rest. Physical labor in the farm example does not define all 労働 as physical work.