小売業

• Reading: こうりぎょう
• Romaji: kourigyou
• Kanji breakdown: 小 (ko) — small; 売 (uri) — sell; 業 (gyou) — industry, business
• Pronunciation: /ko.ɯ.ɾi.gjo.ɯ/

Meaning

Retail trade; retailing. The business of selling goods directly to consumers.

A compound noun: 小売 (kouri, retail) + 業 (gyou, industry/business). Refers to the retail sector as a whole: 小売業者 (retailer), 小売業界 (retail industry). Contrasted with 卸売業 (oroshiurigyou, wholesale trade). A fundamental term in economics and business studies for understanding the supply chain.

Examples

1. 小売業は消費者の購買行動の変化に敏感に対応する必要がある。 The retail industry needs to respond quickly to changes in consumer buying behavior.
2. 父は長年小売業に携わってきたので、接客には自信がある。 My father has worked in retail for many years, so he's confident in customer service.
3. ネット通販の拡大により、従来の小売業は厳しい状況に置かれている。 The growth of online shopping has put traditional retail in a tough spot.

Usage Guide

Context: business, economics, commerce

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Japanese: 小売 (small-scale selling, retail) + 業 (industry). 小 (shou, small) + 売 (bai, sell) = selling in small quantities directly to customers, plus 業 (gyou, business/trade).

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Professional