ディーラー
dīrā[dʲiːɾa̠ː]
The English word "dealer" can be translated into Japanese as either ディーラー (dīrā) or 商人.
Meaning: one who deals in things, e.g. automobiles (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ディーラー | dīrā | [dʲiːɾa̠ː] (narrow) |
| 商人 | shōnin | [ɕo̞ːɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) [a̠kʲĩndo̞] (narrow) |
The term refers to someone who deals in specific goods, such as automobiles.
Which one should you use?
ディーラー is a loanword typically used in modern commercial contexts, such as referring to an automobile dealer. In contrast, 商人 refers more broadly to a merchant or trader and carries a more traditional or historical connotation.
How do you pronounce it?
dīrā
Did you know?
- In the feudal social hierarchy of Japan, the merchant class represented by 商人 was officially placed at the very bottom of the four-tier social system, despite many merchants accumulating immense wealth.
- The historical reading あきんど (akindo) for 商人 is still used today in a colloquial or slightly derogatory way to describe a 'shrewd' or 'cunning' businessman.
- The term 商人 is not originally Japanese but was borrowed from Middle Chinese, reflecting the historical trade routes between the Japanese archipelago and mainland Asia.
Examples in context
- 地元の自動車ディーラーから、優勝者に新車が贈られました。The winner received a new car from a local car dealer.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form ディーラー in the context of an automobile dealer.Tatoeba #11021643 by small_snow, translation #10948821 by CM
- すみません、このテーブルのディーラーを呼んでいただけますか？Excuse me, could you please get the dealer for this table?
- おい、ディーラーさん！もう1枚カードをください。Hey, dealer! Can I get another card, please?
- そのディーラーは、アフターサービスが手厚いです。Sono diira wa, afutaasaabisu ga teatsui desu.That dealer provides excellent after-sales service.
- 新しいディーラーを探しているところです。Atarashii diira o sagashite iru tokoro desu.I am currently looking for a new dealer.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiroto and Misaki are talking about repairing a car.
- 大翔 Hiroto車の調子が悪いので、ディーラーに持っていくよ。kuruma no choushi ga warui node, dīrā ni motte iku yo.The car is acting up, so I'll take it to the dealer.
- 美咲 Misakiそれはいい考えだね。予約はした？sore wa ii kangae da ne. yoyaku wa shita?That's a good idea. Did you make an appointment?
- 大翔 Hirotoまだだよ。今から電話してみる。mada da yo. ima kara denwa shite miru.Not yet. I'll try calling them now.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔、早めに連絡したほうがいいよ。Hiroto, hayame ni renraku shita hou ga ii yo.Hiroto, you should contact them as soon as possible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dealer” translations and entries ディーラー, 商人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ディーラー, 商人, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
