Business & Economy

申し訳もうしわけありませんが、その商品しょうひんは在庫ざいこを切きらしております。

I'm very sorry, but we've run out of stock of that item.

Usage 在庫がある / ない = to be in or out of stock, 在庫を切らす = to let stock run out. 在庫切れ is the sign you see in shops and online.

Remember it 在 (to exist) + 庫 (storehouse). What is sitting in the warehouse.

納期のうきに間まに合あうよう、全員ぜんいんで作業さぎょうを進すすめています。

Everyone is pushing on with the work to meet the delivery deadline.

Usage 納期を守る = to meet the deadline, 納期に間に合う = to make it in time. In Japanese manufacturing this word carries real weight.

Remember it 納 (to deliver, to hand over) + 期 (a set term). The date by which delivery is due.

大手おおて企業きぎょうに就職しゅうしょくするのは競争きょうそうが激しはげしい。

Competition to get a job at a major company is fierce.

Usage 企業 is a firm as an economic entity; 会社 is the everyday word. 大手 (おおて) = major, 中小企業 = small and medium enterprises.

Remember it 企 (to plan, to undertake) + 業 (business). A planned undertaking.

観光かんこう産業さんぎょうは地域ちいきの経済けいざいを支えるささえる重要なじゅうような柱はしらだ。

Tourism is an important pillar supporting the local economy.

Usage 産業 = an industry sector: 観光産業, 自動車産業. 支える (ささえる) = to support or prop up, 柱 (はしら) = a pillar, used figuratively here.

Remember it 産 (to produce) + 業 (business). The business of producing.

この工場こうじょうでは自動車じどうしゃの部品ぶひんを製造せいぞうしている。

This factory manufactures car parts.

Usage 製造 is industrial manufacturing; 生産 is production more broadly; 作る is the everyday verb. 部品 (ぶひん) = parts or components.

Remember it 製 (to manufacture) + 造 (to build). The same 造 as in 創造.

工事こうじの見積もりみつもりを三社さんしゃから取とりました。

I got quotes for the building work from three companies.

Usage 見積もりを取る = to get a quote, 見積書 (みつもりしょ) = a written quotation. The verb behind it is 見積もる, to estimate.

Remember it A native compound: 見る (to look) + 積もる (to pile up). Look at the job, then add it all up.

物流ぶつりゅうと流通りゅうつうの効率化こうりつかが企業きぎょうの課題かだいだ。

Improving logistics and distribution efficiency is a challenge for firms.

Usage 流通 is the distribution of goods to market; 物流 (ぶつりゅう) is the physical logistics. 課題 (かだい) = an issue to be tackled, very common in business Japanese.

Remember it 流 (to flow) + 通 (to pass through). Goods flowing through to the buyer.

日本にほんは自動車じどうしゃや電子製品でんしせいひんを多くおおく輸出ゆしゅつしている。

Japan exports a lot of cars and electronics.

Usage 輸出 pairs with 輸入 — note that both read ゆ, not しゅ. 輸出入 (ゆしゅつにゅう) covers both at once.

Remember it 輸 (to transport) + 出 (out). Transporting out.

石油せきゆの多くおおくは中東ちゅうとうから輸入ゆにゅうされています。

Most oil is imported from the Middle East.

Usage 輸入される = to be imported, usually passive. Japan imports nearly all its energy, so this word carries weight in the news. 輸入品 = imported goods.

Remember it 輸 (to transport) + 入 (in). The mirror of 輸出.

日本にほんとアメリカあめりかの貿易ぼうえき摩擦まさつが問題もんだいになっている。

Trade friction between Japan and America has become an issue.

Usage 貿易 is international trade; 取引 (とりひき) is a commercial transaction. 貿易摩擦 = trade friction, 貿易赤字 = a trade deficit.

Remember it 貿 (to exchange goods) + 易 (to trade, to change). Both halves mean exchange.

先月分せんげつぶんの請求せいきゅうがまだ届とどいていません。

Last month's invoice still hasn't arrived.

Usage 請求書 (せいきゅうしょ) is the invoice asking for payment; 領収書 is the receipt proving you paid. Do not mix the two up.

Remember it 請 (to request) + 求 (to demand). Asking for what you are owed.

銀行ぎんこうから融資ゆうしを受けてうけて事業じぎょうを拡大かくだいした。

We received financing from the bank and expanded the business.

Usage 融資を受ける = to receive a loan, from an institution rather than a person — for personal borrowing use 借りる. 拡大する = to expand.

Remember it 融 (to melt, to circulate) + 資 (funds). Money set flowing to where it is needed.

経費けいひで落おとすので領収書りょうしゅうしょをもらってください。

Please get a receipt, since we'll put this through as an expense.

Usage 領収書 is the formal receipt made out in your name; レシート is the printed till slip. For business expenses you must ask for a 領収書.

Remember it 領 (to receive) + 収 (to collect) + 書 (document). A document confirming money was received.

取引先とりひきさきとの商談しょうだんは無事ぶじにまとまりました。

The negotiation with our client concluded successfully.

Usage 商談がまとまる = the deal comes together. Unlike 会議, which is an internal meeting, a 商談 always has a buying and a selling side.

Remember it 商 (commerce) + 談 (to talk). Talking business.

事業じぎょうを始はじめるには資本しほんが必要ひつようです。

You need capital to start a business.

Usage 資本 is capital in the economic sense; 資金 (しきん) is a specific pot of money for a purpose. 資本主義 = capitalism.

Remember it 資 (resources) + 本 (origin, root). The root resources a business grows from.

出張しゅっちょうの経費けいひは会社かいしゃが負担ふたんしてくれる。

The company covers the expenses of business trips.

Usage 経費 is business expenses; 費用 (ひよう) is cost generally. 負担する = to bear a cost, 経費で落とす = to put something on expenses.

Remember it 経 (to manage) + 費 (expense). The same 費 as 医療費 and 交通費.

広告こうこく収益しゅうえきが減少げんしょうし、会社かいしゃの経営けいえいが厳しきびしくなった。

Advertising revenue fell and the company's management became difficult.

Usage 収益 is revenue or earnings; 利益 (りえき) is profit after costs. 経営 (けいえい) = business management, 減少する = to decrease.

Remember it 収 (to take in) + 益 (benefit). What comes in — the same 益 as 利益.

祖父そふは小ちいさな旅館りょかんを経営けいえいしています。

My grandfather runs a small traditional inn.

Usage 経営する means running a business; 管理する means managing tasks or things. 経営者 (けいえいしゃ) = the person running it.

Remember it 経 (to manage) + 営 (to operate). The same 経 as in 経済 and the same 営 as in 営業.

少子化しょうしかによる人口じんこう減少げんしょうが地方ちほう経済けいざいの衰退すいたいを招いてまねいている。

Population decline from the falling birth rate is causing regional economies to decline.

Usage 少子化 (しょうしか) = the falling birth rate, one of Japan's defining social issues. 招く (まねく) = to invite, and by extension to bring about a bad result.

Remember it 衰 (to weaken) + 退 (to withdraw). Weakening and retreating.

景気けいきが回復かいふくしてから、就職しゅうしょくしやすくなった。

Since the economy recovered, it's become easier to find a job.

Usage 景気 is the business climate — how the economy feels right now — while 経済 is the economy as a system. 景気がいい = business is good, 回復する = to recover.

Remember it 景 (a scene) + 気 (mood). The mood of the economic scene.

不況ふきょうの影響えいきょうで多くおおくの企業きぎょうが倒産とうさんした。

Many companies went bankrupt due to the recession.

Usage 不況 is a recession; 好況 (こうきょう) is a boom. 倒産する (とうさん) = to go bankrupt. The 不 prefix negating again, as in 不安 and 不満.

Remember it 不 (not) + 況 (conditions). Conditions that are not good.

政府せいふは雇用こようを増やすふやすための政策せいさくを打ち出したうちだした。

The government rolled out policies to increase employment.

Usage 雇用 is employment as an economic measure; 就職 is an individual getting a job. 雇う (やとう) = to hire, 打ち出す = to announce or roll out a policy.

Remember it 雇 (to hire) + 用 (to use). Hiring someone to work.

今期こんきの業績ぎょうせきは前年ぜんねんを大おおきく上回うわまわりました。

This period's results were far ahead of last year's.

Usage 業績 is a company's performance; 成績 is a student's grades. They share 績 but belong to different worlds.

Remember it 業 (business) + 績 (achievements). The record of what the business achieved.

労働ろうどう条件じょうけんの改善かいぜんを求めてもとめて交渉こうしょうした。

We negotiated seeking an improvement in working conditions.

Usage 労働 is labour as a concept: 労働時間, 労働者, 労働組合. 条件 (じょうけん) = conditions or terms, 求める (もとめる) = to seek or demand.

Remember it 労 (toil) + 働 (to work). Note 働 is 亻 (person) + 動 (to move) — a Japanese-made character.

最低さいてい賃金ちんぎんの引き上げひきあげが議論ぎろんされている。

Raising the minimum wage is being debated.

Usage 賃金 is wages in economic and legal contexts; 給料 is the pay you actually receive. The same 賃 as 家賃 (rent) and 運賃 (fare) — a charge for use.

Remember it 賃 (a charge, a wage) + 金 (money). Money paid for labour.

労働者がストライキを起こし、工場こうじょうの操業そうぎょうが止まったとまった。

Workers went on strike and the factory's operations stopped.

Usage Often clipped to スト. Strikes are rare in Japan compared with Europe, so the word appears more in news about other countries. 起こす = to raise or cause.

Remember it From English 'strike'. Note it means only the industrial sense, not hitting or a baseball strike.

労働ろうどう組合くみあいが賃金ちんぎん交渉こうしょうに入ったはいった。

The labour union entered wage negotiations.

Usage 労働組合 = a trade union, often shortened to 組合. Japanese unions are usually organised by company rather than by trade — quite unlike the British model.

Remember it 組む (to join together) + 合う (mutually). People joining together.

来月らいげつから大阪おおさかの支店してんに転勤てんきんすることになりました。

From next month I'm being transferred to the Osaka branch.

Usage 支店 contrasts with 本社 or 本店. 転勤 (てんきん) — being transferred to another location — is a normal part of Japanese corporate life.

Remember it 支 (a branch) + 店 (shop). A branch of the shop.

価格かかくについて取引先とりひきさきと交渉こうしょうした。

We negotiated on price with our business partner.

Usage 交渉する takes と for the other party and について for the topic. 取引先 (とりひきさき) = a client or partner firm, from the work lesson.

Remember it 交 (to exchange) + 渉 (to wade across). Wading across to meet in the middle.

グローバルぐろーばる市場しじょうでの競争きょうそうはますますますます激しはげしくなっている。

Competition in the global market is growing ever fiercer.

Usage 競争が激しい = competition is fierce, the standard collocation. ますます = more and more. Note 市場 here is しじょう, the abstract market.

Remember it 競 (to compete) + 争 (to contend). Two contest kanji together.

その企業きぎょうは市場しじょうを独占どくせんして、競争きょうそうを排除はいじょした。

That company monopolised the market and eliminated competition.

Usage 独占する = to monopolise, and also to have something all to yourself: 話題を独占する. 独 marks aloneness: 独身 (single), 独立 (independence).

Remember it 独 (alone) + 占 (to occupy). Occupying it alone.

ブランディングを強化きょうかすることで、顧客こきゃくの信頼しんらいを獲得かくとくできる。

By strengthening branding, you can win customer trust.

Usage Business English enters Japanese wholesale and unclipped: ブランディング, マーケティング, コンサルティング. 獲得する (かくとく) = to acquire or win.

Remember it From English 'branding'. The native 商標 (しょうひょう) covers only the trademark itself.

本社ほんしゃは東京とうきょうにあり、工場こうじょうは地方ちほうにあります。

Head office is in Tokyo and the factory is out in the regions.

Usage 本社 is a company's head office; 本店 is its main shop. Their counterparts are 支社 and 支店.

Remember it 本 (origin, main) + 社 (company). The company's original seat.

営業えいぎょう部門ぶもんの責任者せきにんしゃとして働はたらいています。

I work as the person in charge of the sales division.

Usage 部門 is a broad division of an organisation; 部 and 課 are specific departments and sections. Same 部 as in 部長 and 部下.

Remember it 部 (section) + 門 (gate, field). A field of the organisation with its own gate.

プロモーション期間中きかんちゅうは割引わりびきで購入こうにゅうできる。

During the promotional period you can buy at a discount.

Usage 期間中 (きかんちゅう) = during the period. 購入する (こうにゅう) = to purchase, the formal counterpart of 買う. Often clipped to プロモ.

Remember it From English 'promotion' — but only the marketing sense; a job promotion is 昇進.

消費者しょうひしゃの権利けんりを守るまもるための法律ほうりつが整備せいびされている。

Laws to protect consumers' rights are in place.

Usage 消費 (しょうひ) = consumption, 消費税 (しょうひぜい) = consumption tax — the Japanese equivalent of VAT. 者 marks the person, as in 高齢者 and 労働者.

Remember it 消費 (to consume) + 者 (person). The one who consumes.

薬くすりの効果こうかが出でるまで数日すうじつかかります。

It takes a few days for the medicine to take effect.

Usage 効果がある / 出る = to be effective, to take effect. 効果的 (こうかてき) = effective as an adjective. Do not confuse it with 効率, efficiency.

Remember it 効 (effect) + 果 (result). The result something produces.

振込ふりこみの手数料てすうりょうは窓口まどぐちよりATMえーてぃーえむの方ほうが安やすいです。

The transfer fee is cheaper at an ATM than at the counter.

Usage 手数料 is the fee banks, booking sites and exchanges charge. The related お手数ですが is the standard polite opener for 'sorry to trouble you, but…'.

Remember it 手数 (trouble, effort) + 料 (fee). A charge for the trouble you put someone to.

原油げんゆ価格かかくの上昇じょうしょうが物価ぶっかに影響えいきょうしている。

The rise in crude oil prices is affecting consumer prices.

Usage 価格 is a formal price of goods; 値段 (ねだん) is the everyday word; 物価 (ぶっか) is the general price level in an economy. 上昇 = a rise.

Remember it 価 (value) + 格 (standing, rank). The value assigned to something.

電気でんき代だいが値上げねあげされて、家計かけいへの負担ふたんが増えたふえた。

Electricity charges went up, increasing the burden on household finances.

Usage 値上げ pairs with 値下げ, and both build on the 値 (ね) family from the shopping lesson: 値段, 値札, 値引き. 家計 (かけい) = household finances.

Remember it 値 (price) + 上げ (raising). Raising the price.

セールで商品しょうひんが大幅おおはばに値下げねさげされた。

Goods were heavily discounted in the sale.

Usage 値下げ is the shop cutting prices; 値引き is a discount given to you; 値切る is you haggling for one. 大幅に (おおはば) = substantially.

Remember it 値 (price) + 下げ (lowering). Lowering the price.

円安えんやすが進みすすみ、輸入ゆにゅう品ひんの為替かわせリスクが高まったたかまった。

As the yen weakened, exchange-rate risk on imports rose.

Usage 為替 is an irregular reading: かわせ. 円安 (えんやす) = a weak yen, 円高 (えんだか) = a strong one — note that 安 and 高 describe the yen's value, not its price.

Remember it The kanji are ateji; the word comes from 交わす (to exchange). Money exchanged between currencies.

株かぶの価格かかくが急落きゅうらくし、多くおおくの投資家とうしかが損失そんしつを被ったこうむった。

Share prices plunged and many investors suffered losses.

Usage 株 = shares, 株式会社 (かぶしきがいしゃ) = a joint-stock company, the standard Japanese corporate form. 急落 = a sharp fall, 被る (こうむる) = to suffer.

Remember it 株 originally meant a tree stump — a share is your stake rooted in a company.