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Based on my attempt below, アルバイト and アルバイト先 have the same meaning of "part-time job", so why is 先 needed in アルバイト先で ?

The following searching results are intentionally attached here to prove I have done some effort but I still failed to understand.

  • 先 　enter image description here
  • アルバイト 　enter image description here
  • アルバイト先 　enter image description here
  • アルバイトで 　enter image description here
  • アルバイト先で 　enter image description here
Friendly Ghost
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2 Answers2

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There is of course a good reason for using 「[先]{さき}」.

Consider the two sentences below:

「アルバイトでピアノを[弾]{ひ}いた。」= It is your job to play the piano.

「アルバイト先でピアノを弾いた。」= There happens to be a piano where you work part-time and you played it one day. It may have been before, during or after work.

12

先 attached in the ending of words usually defines the place where the noun takes place. アルバイト先 means the place of the part time job. Sometimes Japanese even say バイト先.

Kaizokugari
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  • Just for clarification, so, for example, we can also say 結婚式先 for the place of wedding party? – Friendly Ghost Jun 22 '15 at 13:33
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    Yes, as in any other place, you could. – Kaizokugari Jun 22 '15 at 13:57
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    @Friendly Ghost: Hmm..., 結婚式先 may sound a little strange. I think that 先 can follow nouns from which their verb forms can be derived. E.g., 旅行する, 出張する, and 勤める are derived as the verb forms from 旅行, 出張, and 勤め, respectively. So, you can say 旅行先, 出張先, and 勤め先. 出先, shortened form of 出かけた先, is also OK. – Tsukasa Jun 23 '15 at 07:41
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    Yeah I agree with @Tsukasa; you don't say 結婚式先. Other examples that I can think of are: 行き先、[嫁]{とつ}ぎ先、外出先、勤務先、[旅]{たび}先、仕事先. You can't just add it to any place word. – chocolate Jun 24 '15 at 17:35
  • Guys wouldn't it be possible to stack at 結婚 like 結婚先 ?? 結婚 is a する noun after all. – Kaizokugari Jun 24 '15 at 17:41
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    @Kaizokugari No, we don't say 結婚式先, I'm afraid. As for 結婚先, no, we don't use it either; we have only 嫁ぎ先(used only by the bride's side). – chocolate Jun 24 '15 at 17:48