商人

• Reading: しょうにん
• Romaji: shounin
• Kanji breakdown: 商 (shou) — commerce, trade; 人 (nin) — person
• Pronunciation: /ɕoː.niɴ/

Meaning

Merchant; trader; shopkeeper. A person who buys and sells goods for a living.

A noun referring to someone engaged in commerce or trade. 商人 has a slightly traditional or literary nuance, often evoking historical merchant culture. In modern Japanese, ビジネスマン or 商売人 may be used more casually. The word carries cultural weight due to Japan's historical merchant class in the Edo period social hierarchy.

Examples

1. 大阪は昔から商人の街として知られている。 Osaka has long been known as a city of merchants.
2. 祖父は小さな町で商人として働いていた。 My grandfather worked as a merchant in a small town.
3. 江戸時代の商人たちは独自の文化を発展させた。 Merchants in the Edo period developed their own unique culture.

Usage Guide

Context: history, business, culture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 商 (commerce, trade) and 人 (person). A person of commerce — one who engages in buying and selling.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal