Learning how to say “business” in Japanese is essential if you are interested in Japanese culture, planning to visit Japan for business purposes, or simply want to expand your language skills. In this guide, we’ll explore various formal and informal ways to express this important term, while also providing tips, examples, and insights. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Formal Ways to Say “Business”
1. 事業 (じぎょう, jigyō): This is the most common and formal word for “business” in Japanese. It encompasses the activities, operations, and enterprise of a business.
Example: この 会社 (かいしゃ, kaisha) は 大規模な 事業 (じぎょう, jigyō) を 展開しています。
(Translation: This company is engaging in large-scale business activities.)
2. ビジネス (bijinesu): Imported from the English term, it is widely used in Japanese business jargon and retains its English pronunciation.
Example: 彼 (かれ, kare) は ビジネス (bijinesu) の 件 (けん, ken) に 参加しました。
(Translation: He participated in a business matter.)
3. 商売 (しょうばい, shōbai): While it can imply a broader sense of commerce, 商売 is often used when referring to small-scale or individual business ventures.
Example: 山田さん (やまださん, Yamada-san) は 小さな 商売 (しょうばい, shōbai) を 始めました。
(Translation: Mr. Yamada started a small business.)
Informal Ways to Say “Business”
1. 仕事 (しごと, shigoto): Primarily meaning “work,” 仕事 can be used informally when referring to business matters.
Example: 日本 (にほん, Nihon) での 仕事 (しごと, shigoto) は どうですか？
(Translation: How is business/work going in Japan?)
2. ビジ (biji): This casual abbreviation of ビジネス is commonly used in colloquial Japanese to refer to business.
Example: 最近 (さいきん, saikin) は ビジ (biji) が 忙しい (いそがしい, isogashii) んだ。
(Translation: Lately, I’ve been really busy with work.)
Dialectal and Regional Variations
It’s important to note that the Japanese language has various regional dialects. While the formal and informal expressions mentioned earlier are widely understood nationwide, there might be some regional variations as well. Here are a few notable examples:
Kansai Dialect (関西弁)
In the Kansai region of Japan, which includes Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, people may use different terms for “business” compared to standard Japanese:
- 商い (あきない, akinai)
- ビジネス (bijinesu)
Both of these words are used in a similar context to 事業 (じぎょう, jigyō) or ビジネス (bijinesu). Here’s an example:
Example: 関西 (かんさい, Kansai) の クリエイターは 独自の 商い (あきない, akinai) を 有しています。
(Translation: Kansai creators have their unique business approaches.)
Hiroshima Dialect (広島弁)
In the Hiroshima region, people may use the term “business” as follows:
- しさん (shisan)
- なり (nari)
These words have a similar meaning to 事業 (じぎょう, jigyō) and can be used interchangeably. Here’s an example:
Example: うちの町 (まち, machi) の しさんは とても 元気 (げんき, genki) ですね。
(Translation: The businesses in our town are very lively.)
While these regional variations exist, using the standard expressions discussed earlier will be perfectly understandable in any part of Japan.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned various ways to say “business” in Japanese, both formally and informally, you can confidently navigate conversations related to work and commerce. Remember to adapt your language choice to the context and the level of formality required. Enjoy exploring the rich world of business and language in Japan!
