gatten

Gatten, a romanization of the Japanese slang word ガテン (gaten), refers to blue-collar, manual-labor work and the workers in that sector. The term is part of contemporary Japanese labor-market slang and is used to describe occupations such as construction, manufacturing, maintenance, and warehousing. The phrase ガテン系の仕事 (gaten-kei no shigoto) roughly translates to “blue-collar work” or “manual-labor jobs.” The exact origin is uncertain, but gaten has been in use since the late 20th century and appears in magazines, blogs, entertainment media, and job advertisements aimed at younger workers. In social contexts, ガテン系 can carry an informal, masculine-coded nuance and is typically less appropriate in formal or official settings.

A related term is ガテン族 (gaten-zoku), which historically described people who work in blue-collar jobs and their associated subculture, distinct from office workers. In discussions about Japanese work culture for English readers, gaten/gatenkei is usually described as slang for labor-intensive professions rather than a formal category.

Note that there is no widely recognized English-language subject simply called “gatten.” If you are referring to a specific person, place, brand, or another linguistic usage, please provide more context.