流通

• Reading: りゅうつう
• Romaji: ryūtsū
• Kanji breakdown: 流 (ryū) — flow, stream; 通 (tsū) — pass through, circulate
• Pronunciation: /ɾjɯːtsɯː/

Meaning

Distribution; circulation; logistics; the movement of goods and money through the economy.

Covers the physical and economic distribution of goods from producer to consumer. 流通経路 (distribution channel), 流通コスト (distribution cost), and 流通在庫 (distribution inventory) are key supply chain terms. In finance, 流通市場 (secondary market — where securities trade after initial issuance) contrasts with 発行市場 (primary market). The term also covers currency circulation.

Examples

1. 農産物の流通コストを削減するため、直販プラットフォームが普及してきた。 Direct sales platforms have become widespread in order to reduce the distribution costs of agricultural produce.
2. 流通業界ではデジタル化が進み、中間業者の役割が変わりつつある。 Digitalisation is advancing in the distribution industry, and the role of intermediaries is changing.
3. 流通市場での国債の取引量は、発行時の規模を大きく上回ることが多い。 The volume of government bonds traded on the secondary market often greatly exceeds the scale of the original issuance.

Usage Guide

Context: logistics, supply chain, economics, finance

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 流 (flow, stream) and 通 (pass through, circulate). Together they literally mean 'to flow and pass through,' capturing the continuous movement of goods or money through a system. Became standard in modern commercial vocabulary during the Meiji era.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Business