How to say "commerce" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 商業しょうぎょうno-adjectiveThe general word for commerce as an economic activity — buying and selling, trade and business viewed as a whole field or sector — rather than one person's trade or dealings.
- 通商つうしょうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCommerce or trade, especially commercial exchange between nations; it treats trade as a relationship or flow between countries rather than business in general.
- 商売しょうばいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbEveryday business or trade: running a shop, buying and selling to make a living, or one's line of business. For commerce as an abstract economic term it is not the word you want.
- 交易こうえきnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbTrade as the mutual exchange of goods between parties — between countries, regions or peoples — with the emphasis on the exchange itself rather than on business as an activity.
- 商法しょうほうnounAs a rendering of 'commerce' this is marginal: it really denotes a way of doing business — business methods or practices — and in legal contexts it refers to commercial law.
Use 商業 for commerce as an economic activity or sector, 通商 for trade between nations, 交易 for exchange of goods between parties, 商売 for everyday business or trade, and 商法 for business methods or practices rather than commerce.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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