How to say "merchant" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 商人しょうにんnounThe default word for a merchant, trader, or tradesman as a person who buys and sells goods. Use it for shopkeepers, dealers, and merchants in general contexts.
- 商家しょうかnounCovers 'merchant' in the sense of a merchant house or establishment; its glosses 'store' and 'shop' show it leans toward the business or shop itself rather than the individual person.
- 商売人しょうばいにんnounA merchant or trader, with a nuance of shrewdness in business per its gloss 'shrewd businessman'. Best when you want to stress someone's business-minded, calculating character.
- 商しょうnounglosses it as 'business; merchant; dealer', but as a standalone noun it is really the word for business or commerce, not the person; seldom the word you want for 'merchant' in ordinary sentences.
Use 商人 for a merchant or trader as a person, 商売人 when emphasizing a shrewd business sense, and treat 商家 (an old merchant house or shop) and 商 (mostly a business suffix) as marginal choices.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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