大手企業

• Reading: おおてきぎょう
• Romaji: ootekigyou
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (oo) — big, large; 手 (te) — hand, player; 企 (ki) — plan, scheme; 業 (gyou) — business, industry
• Pronunciation: /oː.te.ki.ɡʲoː/

Meaning

Big corporation; major firm; leading company. Refers to large, well-known companies.

A compound noun: 大手 (major/leading) + 企業 (enterprise/company). 大手 alone can function as a noun or prefix meaning 'major player.' In Japanese job-hunting culture, landing a position at a 大手企業 is considered highly desirable and prestigious.

Examples

1. 大手企業に就職するのは競争が激しい。 Competition to land a job at a major corporation is intense.
2. この地域には大手企業の工場がいくつもある。 There are several factories belonging to major corporations in this region.
3. 大手企業と中小企業では、福利厚生に大きな差がある。 There is a big difference in employee benefits between large corporations and small businesses.

Usage Guide

Context: business, job hunting, news

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 大 (oo, big) + 手 (te, hand/player) + 企 (ki, plan) + 業 (gyou, business). 大手 originally meant 'main force' in military contexts, later shifting to mean a major player in business.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal