Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 客 | kyaku | [kʲa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) [ma̠ɾo̞ːdo̞] (narrow) |
| 顧客 | kokyaku | [ko̞kʲa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) [ko̞ka̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 得意先 | tokui saki | [to̞kɯ̟isa̠kʲi] (narrow) |
The term for a person who purchases or receives a product or service varies significantly based on the setting. 客 is the most common and general term for a customer or guest. In a business or commercial context, 顧客 is used to refer specifically to customers. If you are discussing the act of serving customers or the field of customer service, you would use the term 接客.
Which one should you use?
客 is a general term for a customer or guest. 顧客 is a more formal, business-oriented term frequently used in marketing, data analysis or official reports. 得意先 is used in business jargon to refer to a client or customer of a specific business or company.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of politeness changes the word used. 客 is a direct and succinct way to say 'customer' that can be used in informal conversations. For a more relaxed and friendly tone, you can use お客さん. In formal situations like customer service, use the polite expression お客様, which is similar to 'guest' in English.
How do you pronounce it?
kyaku
Did you know?
- In many Japanese service industries, the phrase お客様は神様です (The customer is God) is a common cultural mantra, though it is sometimes criticized for being taken too literally.
- The kanji for 客 (kyaku) can also be used in words related to 'travelers' or 'passengers', linking the idea of a customer to the act of moving through a space.
- The term お客様 (okyakusama) uses the honorific suffix 様 (sama), which is why a customer is linguistically treated as a 'honored guest' rather than just a buyer.
Examples in context
- 接客は苦手なの。It is a fact that I'm poor at customer service.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of skill in customer service.Tatoeba #10140578 by small_snow, translation #10196157 by terrywallwork
- 接客がなっとらん。Their customer service is poor.This sentence is useful for noting poor customer service.Tatoeba #10140576 by small_snow, translation #5729827 by CM
- トムは私たちの客だ。Tom is a customer of ours.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a customer.Tatoeba #10907042 by SomeHungryBois, translation #9994541 by CK
- お客様、いらっしゃいませ。Welcome, customer/guest.
- この地域では、大事な顧客が多いです。In this region, there are many important customers.
- 得意先への対応は最重要です。Dealing with clients is of utmost importance.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a small cafe where Yuta and Yui work.
- 陽太 Yotaあそこにいる客は、私たちの常連だよ。Asoko ni iru kyaku wa, watashitachi no jouren da yo.That customer over there is one of our regulars.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ、陽太くん。いつも来てくれるね。Hontou da, Youta-kun. Itsumo kite kureru ne.That's true, Yuta. He always comes here.
- 陽太 Yota新しい客も増えるといいね。Atarashii kyaku mo fueru to ii ne.I hope we get more new customers too.
- 結衣 Yuiそうね、私も頑張って接客するよ。Sou ne, watashi mo ganbatte sekkyaku suru yo.Right, I'll do my best with the service too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “customer” translations and entries 客, 顧客, 得意先, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
