業種

• Reading: ぎょうしゅ
• Romaji: gyoshu
• Kanji breakdown: 業 (gyo) — business, occupation, industry; 種 (shu) — type, kind, category
• Pronunciation: /ɡʲoː.ɕɯ/

Meaning

Type of industry; business category. A classification of companies or businesses according to the sector or field in which they operate.

Used in employment, investment, and statistical contexts to categorise economic activity. The Tokyo Stock Exchange groups listed companies into 33 業種 (sector classifications). On job applications, candidates indicate their target 業種 (industry) separately from 職種 (job function/role). Understanding 業種 classifications is important for sector-rotation investment strategies and labour market analysis.

Examples

1. 求人票には業種と職種の違いを明確に区別して記載する必要がある。 Job postings must clearly distinguish between and state the industry type (業種) and job function (職種) separately.
2. IT業種では慢性的な人材不足が続いており、採用競争が年々激しくなっている。 In the IT industry, a chronic shortage of talent persists, and competition for recruitment is intensifying year on year.
3. 業種によって景気変動への感応度は大きく異なるため、分散投資が効果的だ。 Because sensitivity to economic fluctuations varies greatly by industry, diversified investment is effective.

Usage Guide

Context: employment, investing, statistics, business analysis

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 業 (business, occupation, industry) and 種 (type, kind, category). Together they denote the kind or category of business activity.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: General