How to say "employer" in Japanese

• 主しゅCommon
  nounCovers 'employer' in the sense of the master or lord one serves, with a feudal or personal-servitude flavor. For an ordinary workplace employer this is seldom the word you want; think of one's lord or master instead.
• 雇い主やといぬしCommon
  nounThe everyday word for the employer of a hired worker, the person on the other side of an employment relationship. Natural in ordinary conversation about who employs whom.
  彼かれらは雇い主やといぬしに忠実ちゅうじつだ。↗

  They are loyal to their master.
• 使い手つかいてCommon
  nounPrimarily means user or consumer, someone who uses a thing; 'employer' is a secondary sense. For the employer of people it is marginal, so prefer another word unless the using/consumer sense is meant.
• 使用者しようしゃCommon
  nounThe formal term for an employer in labor law and official contexts, the party that employs workers. Typical in contracts, legal writing, and discussions of workers' rights.

For the legal/business sense of employer, 使用者 or 「雇い主」 is the usual choice; 「雇い主」 is conversational, 使用者 formal and legal; 主 means one's master or lord, and 「使い手」 centers on user or consumer.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 主しゅ(one's) master
• 雇い主やといぬしemployer
• 使い手つかいてuser
• 主しゅう(one's) master
• 求人者きゅうじんしゃemployer
• 雇用主こようぬしemployer
• 抱え主かかえぬしemployer (esp. of a geisha, prostitute, etc.)
• エンプロイヤーemployer
• 主人しゅじん(one's) employer
• 使用者しようしゃemployer
• 事業主じぎょうぬしemployer
• 雇用者こようしゃemployer
• 大旦那おおだんな(one's) employer