How to say "guild" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

ギルドCommon
nounCovers the guild sense directly: a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, and by extension such groups in games and fantasy settings. As a loanword, this is the natural choice for that meaning.
組合くみあいJLPT N3approx.Common
nounPrimarily means an association or union of people with a shared purpose; 'guild' appears only among its broader senses. For a craftsman or merchant guild, ギルド is usually the word you want.
組合くみあいは５％の賃上ちんあげを獲得かくとくした。↗
The union won a 5% wage increase.

Use 「ギルド」 for the historical or fantasy guild as a borrowed concept, and 組合 mainly for an association or union, where 'guild' is only one of several senses.

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

Japanese equivalents

ギルドguild
組合くみあいassociation
商業組合しょうぎょうくみあいguild
同業組合どうぎょうくみあいtrade association

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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