営業

• Reading: えいぎょう
• Romaji: eigyou
• Kanji breakdown: 営 (ei) — to manage, to operate; 業 (gyou) — business, industry
• Pronunciation: /eː.ɡʲoː/

Meaning

Business; trade; operations. The activity of running a business or working in sales.

A noun and suru-verb with two main uses: running a business (as in 営業時間, business hours) and sales work (as in 営業部, sales department). 営業 is extremely common in daily life, appearing on shop signs and in job titles. Common collocations include 営業中 (open for business), 営業マン (salesperson), and 営業日 (business day).

Examples

1. このレストランの営業時間は何時までですか。 What time is this restaurant open until?
2. 彼は営業部で毎日外回りをしている。 He works in the sales department and makes outside visits every day.
3. 年末年始は営業していない店が多い。 A lot of stores are closed over the New Year's holiday.

Usage Guide

Context: business, daily life, retail

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 営 (to manage, to operate) and 業 (business, industry). The combination means to manage or operate a business.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal