Japanese Business Kanji: Learn Office & Corporate Words in Japanese
Master essential Japanese business kanji: 会社 (company), 仕事 (work), 経済 (economy), 営業 (sales), 取引 (transaction), and more. Each entry includes readings, example sentences, and cultural context about Japan's business world.
Japanese Business Kanji at a Glance
Business Culture in Japan
Japan's business culture is built on hierarchy, respect, and relationships. Keigo (敬語/polite language) is essential. Knowing kanji like 社 (company), 長 (chief), and 務 (duty) helps decode corporate titles and organizational structures.
Common Business Compounds
Business kanji combine in predictable ways: 会社 (meet+company = corporation), 社長 (company+chief = president), 取引 (take+pull = transaction). Learning the building blocks unlocks hundreds of business terms.
JLPT Relevance
Core business kanji like 会 (meet), 社 (company), 仕 (serve) appear at JLPT N4-N3. Advanced terms like 経済 (economy), 営業 (sales), and 契約 (contract) are common in N2-N1 reading passages.
Core Japanese Business & Office Kanji
These twenty kanji cover essential business vocabulary, from corporate titles and departments to economic terms and workplace actions.
| Meaning | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | JLPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | 社 | しゃ | sha | N4 |
| Meet / Gather | 会 | あう | au | N4 |
| Work / Serve | 仕 | つかえる | tsukaeru | N4 |
| Thing / Matter | 事 | こと | koto | N4 |
| Work / Labor | 働 | はたらく | hataraku | N4 |
| Business / Trade | 商 | あきない | akinai | N3 |
| Sell | 売 | うる | uru | N4 |
| Buy | 買 | かう | kau | N5 |
| Gold / Money | 金 | かね | kane | N5 |
| Chief / Head | 長 | ちょう | chou | N4 |
| Department | 部 | ぶ | bu | N3 |
| Section | 課 | か | ka | N2 |
| Duty / Service | 務 | つとめる | tsutomeru | N3 |
| Manage / Run | 営 | いとなむ | itonamu | N2 |
| Profit / Benefit | 利 | り | ri | N3 |
| Tax | 税 | ぜい | zei | N2 |
| Stock / Shares | 株 | かぶ | kabu | N2 |
| Pledge / Contract | 契 | ちぎる | chigiru | N1 |
| Promise / About | 約 | やく | yaku | N3 |
| Report / News | 報 | ほう | hou | N3 |
All Japanese Business Kanji Explained
Explore each business kanji with its readings, origin story, and example sentences used in Japanese workplaces.
Example:
新しい会社に入りました。
Atarashii kaisha ni hairimashita.
I joined a new company.
Example:
午後三時に会議があります。
Gogo sanji ni kaigi ga arimasu.
There is a meeting at 3 PM.
Example:
仕事が忙しくて大変です。
Shigoto ga isogashikute taihen desu.
Work is so busy, it's tough.
Example:
大事なことを忘れないでください。
Daijina koto wo wasurenaide kudasai.
Please don't forget the important matters.
Example:
毎日八時間働いています。
Mainichi hachijikan hataraite imasu.
I work eight hours every day.
Example:
商品の値段を確認してください。
Shouhin no nedan wo kakunin shite kudasai.
Please check the price of the product.
Example:
この店は本を売っています。
Kono mise wa hon wo utte imasu.
This shop sells books.
Example:
新しいパソコンを買いました。
Atarashii pasokon wo kaimashita.
I bought a new computer.
Example:
お金を銀行に預けました。
Okane wo ginkou ni azukemashita.
I deposited money at the bank.
Example:
社長に報告書を提出しました。
Shachou ni houkokusho wo teishutsu shimashita.
I submitted the report to the company president.
Example:
営業部に異動になりました。
Eigyoubu ni idou ni narimashita.
I was transferred to the sales department.
Example:
課長に相談してから決めます。
Kachou ni soudan shite kara kimemasu.
I'll decide after consulting with the section chief.
Example:
公務員として働いています。
Koumuin toshite hataraite imasu.
I work as a civil servant.
Example:
祖父は小さな店を営んでいます。
Sofu wa chiisana mise wo itonande imasu.
My grandfather runs a small shop.
Example:
今年の利益は昨年より増えました。
Kotoshi no rieki wa sakunen yori fuemashita.
This year's profit increased compared to last year.
Example:
消費税は十パーセントです。
Shouhizei wa juppaaasento desu.
The consumption tax is ten percent.
Example:
株式市場で株を買いました。
Kabushiki shijou de kabu wo kaimashita.
I bought stocks on the stock market.
Example:
契約書にサインしてください。
Keiyakusho ni sain shite kudasai.
Please sign the contract.
Example:
約束の時間に遅れないでください。
Yakusoku no jikan ni okurenaide kudasai.
Please don't be late for the promised time.
Example:
報告書を明日までに出してください。
Houkokusho wo ashita made ni dashite kudasai.
Please submit the report by tomorrow.
Japanese Business Kanji by Category
Japanese business vocabulary can be grouped into corporate structure, finance, workplace actions, and communication terms. Understanding these groups helps you navigate the Japanese business world.
Japanese companies have clear hierarchies. 社長 (president), 部長 (department head), 課長 (section chief), 係長 (team leader). The character 長 (chief/head) is key to decoding every title in the organization.
Finance kanji are essential for reading Japanese business news. 経済 (economy), 株 (stock), 利益 (profit), 投資 (investment). The character 金 (gold/money) appears in many financial terms.
Workplace action kanji describe what people do at the office: 働 (work), 売 (sell), 買 (buy), 届 (deliver), 報 (report). These verbs combine with other kanji to create compound business terms.
Relationships drive Japanese business. Key kanji include 契 (pledge), 約 (promise), 取 (take/handle), 引 (pull/draw). The concept of 信頼 (trust) is central to all Japanese business dealings.
Japanese Corporate Hierarchy in Kanji
Understanding job titles is essential for navigating Japanese business culture. Here are the key positions from top to bottom, all built with the kanji 長 (chief/head).
| Title | Kanji | Literal Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | 会長 | Meeting chief | Honorary head, often the founder. Above the president in rank. |
| President / CEO | 社長 | Company chief | Top executive who runs the company day-to-day. |
| Vice President | 副社長 | Vice company chief | Second-in-command to the president. |
| Director | 取締役 | Managing officer | Board member. 取締 = supervise, 役 = role. |
| Department Head | 部長 | Department chief | Manages an entire department (部). Very senior position. |
| Section Chief | 課長 | Section chief | Manages a section (課) within a department. Middle management. |
| Team Leader | 係長 | Duty chief | Leads a small team (係). First supervisory role. |
| Regular Employee | 社員 | Company member | Full-time employee. 社員 is the standard term. |
| New Employee | 新入社員 | New enter company member | First-year employee. Abbreviated as 新人 (shinjin). |
| Part-timer | アルバイト | From German "Arbeit" | Part-time worker. Often shortened to バイト (baito). |
Business-Related Compound Words (Jukugo)
These compound words combine business kanji to create essential workplace vocabulary. Many are used in meetings, emails, and business conversations daily.
| Compound | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 会社 | かいしゃ (kaisha) | Company / Corporation |
| 仕事 | しごと (shigoto) | Work / Job |
| 経済 | けいざい (keizai) | Economy / Finance |
| 営業 | えいぎょう (eigyou) | Sales / Business operations |
| 契約 | けいやく (keiyaku) | Contract / Agreement |
| 取引 | とりひき (torihiki) | Transaction / Business deal |
| 報告 | ほうこく (houkoku) | Report / Reporting |
| 会議 | かいぎ (kaigi) | Meeting / Conference |
| 給料 | きゅうりょう (kyuuryou) | Salary / Pay |
| 残業 | ざんぎょう (zangyou) | Overtime work |
| 出張 | しゅっちょう (shucchou) | Business trip |
| 名刺 | めいし (meishi) | Business card |
Tips for Remembering Japanese Business Kanji
Master the Key Radicals
The radical 貝 (shell, originally currency) appears in many money-related kanji: 買 (buy), 売 (sell), 貸 (lend), 費 (expense). Once you recognize 貝, you can spot financial kanji instantly.
Learn Titles with 長
The character 長 (chief/head) is the key to Japanese corporate titles. 社長 = company chief (president), 部長 = department chief, 課長 = section chief. Learn 長 and every title becomes transparent.
Read Business News
NHK News Easy (NHK NEWS WEB EASY) uses simplified Japanese with furigana above kanji. Reading business headlines is excellent practice for recognizing business kanji in context.
Collect Business Cards
Use our gamified card collection to master business kanji. Earn XP, level up, and build your personal Jisho dictionary with every kanji you learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say business in Japanese?
Business in Japanese can be expressed several ways: ビジネス (bijinesu) is borrowed from English and common in modern usage. 商売 (shoubai) means "commerce/trade," 事業 (jigyou) means "enterprise/business venture," and 業務 (gyoumu) means "business operations." The most common general term for work is 仕事 (shigoto), combining 仕 (serve) and 事 (matter).
What kanji are on Japanese business cards?
Japanese business cards (名刺/meishi) typically show the company name using 会社 (kaisha) or 株式会社 (kabushiki kaisha/corporation), the department (部/bu), and job titles using 長 (chou/chief), such as 社長 (president), 部長 (department head), or 課長 (section chief). Exchanging business cards (名刺交換/meishi koukan) is a critical ritual in Japanese business culture.
What is keigo and why does it matter in business?
Keigo (敬語) is the Japanese honorific language system, essential in business. It has three levels: 尊敬語 (sonkeigo/respectful) used for superiors, 謙譲語 (kenjougo/humble) used about yourself, and 丁寧語 (teineigo/polite) for general politeness. Using correct keigo shows professionalism and respect; it's expected in all client meetings, emails, and interactions with senior colleagues.
How do I read Japanese company names?
Most Japanese company names end with 株式会社 (kabushiki kaisha, abbreviated KK) meaning "stock company", equivalent to Inc./Ltd. For example, トヨタ自動車株式会社 (Toyota Jidousha Kabushiki Kaisha) = Toyota Motor Corporation. The characters 株式 (stock/shares) + 会社 (company) tell you it's a publicly traded corporation.
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