Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| マネージャー | manējā | [ma̠ne̞ːʑa̠ː] (narrow) |
| 支配人 | shihainin | [ɕiha̠iɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 経営者 | keieisha | [ke̞ːe̞ːɕa̠] (narrow) |
| 管理者 | kanrisha | [kã̠n̺ɾʲiɕa̠] (narrow) |
| 店長 | tenchō | [tẽ̞ɲ̟t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
Japanese uses different words for a manager depending on whether you are talking about a business owner, a store leader, an administrator or a talent agent. For example, マネージャー is used for people who handle the schedules and affairs of athletes or idols in the entertainment and sports industries. If you are referring to someone in a professional managerial position, the formal term 管理職 (kanrishoku) is used, while 課長 (kachō) specifically refers to a section manager or division head in a company.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the specific role being described:
– マネージャー is a loanword typically used for talent managers in entertainment or for sports managers. – 支配人 is used for managers of large-scale establishments like hotels, theaters or casinos. – 経営者 refers to a person who manages the business itself, such as an owner or executive, rather than someone managing a team or shop floor. – 管理者 refers to an administrator or someone in charge of managing systems, facilities or specific processes. – 店長 is used specifically for the manager of a retail shop, restaurant or small branch.
How do you pronounce it?
manējā
Did you know?
- In Japanese sports culture, a マネージャー is often a student assistant who handles logistics and chores rather than a professional coach or executive.
- The term 支配人 literally combines the words for 'dominate' or 'control' and 'person'.
- In the entertainment industry, a マネージャー often manages every detail of an idol's life, including their diet and personal schedule, far beyond a typical English agent's role.
Examples in context
- 支配人は親切な人だよ。The manager is kind.This sentence is useful for describing the personality of a 支配人.Tatoeba #9611664 by small_snow, translation #9621112 by DJ_Saidez
- 支配人はいい人なんだ。The manager is nice.Tatoeba #9611667 by small_snow, translation #9524939 by DJ_Saidez
- 彼はホテルの経営者です。He is the manager of a hotel.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a 経営者 of a hotel.Tatoeba #110936 by bunbuku, translation #292750 by CK
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are at a sports club.
- 健太 Kentaマネージャーはどこにいますか？manējā wa doko ni imasu ka?Where is the manager?
- 結衣 Yuiあそこに立っている人ですよ。asoko ni tatte iru hito desu yo.It's the person standing over there.
- 健太 Kenta彼が新しいマネージャーなのですね。kare ga atarashii manējā na no desu ne.So he is the new manager.
- 結衣 Yuiはい、先週から働き始めました。hai, senshū kara hataraki hajimemashita.Yes, he started working last week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “manager” translations and entries マネージャー, 支配人, 経営者, 管理者, 店長, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries マネージャー, 支配人, 管理者, 経営者, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
