One of the reasons why many people learn Japanese is new business opportunities. Becoming proficient in the Japanese language can open new doors in your career and make you like gold dust for companies that want to collaborate with the Japanese.
As learning a new language, especially an Asian language, is not a one-night thing; it takes time to become fluent in Japanese. But still, you can speed up the process by prioritizing learning business vocabulary in Japanese after mastering the basic vocabulary.
Now, start learning business Japanese and book yourself a position in the Japanese business world!
Page Contents:
- Japanese Business Culture
- Office Supplies In Japanese
- Hierarchy In A Japanese Company
- Must-Know Japanese Phrases To Nail Your Job Interview
- Business Vocabulary In Japanese
- Learn Japanese With Ling App!
Japanese Business Culture
To start with, let’s prepare you for the business culture in Japan so that you won’t go through a big culture shock when you enter a Japanese office environment. You’re expected to show the utmost respect to your colleagues and seniors, as it is what Japanese people value the most.
Respectful Bowing
As you know, bowing is a standard greeting in Japanese culture and is also practiced in the workplace. Here are the three variations of bowing:
- 会釈 (Eshaku) – Bow with the upper body to 15 degrees. You can greet your colleagues this way.
- 敬礼 (Keirei) – Bow with the upper body to 30 degrees. You can greet your clients this way and also express gratitude and apologies.
- 最敬礼 (Saikeirei) – Bow with the upper body to 45 degrees. You can greet VIPs and seniors this way and also express profound apologies.
Exchanging Business Cards
Exchanging business cards, 名刺 (meishi), is another etiquette rule in business, and it’s only done when you meet someone from another company for the first time. Business cards are considered to be one’s face in Japan and thus must be treated politely.
Remember to offer and receive cards with both hands (using one hand is considered rude) and ensure that the other person can read the front surface of your card.
Honorific Language At The Office
Using the appropriate Japanese honorifics is considered good manners in Japan. In business settings, you may be judged as incompetent if you can’t use honorific language, 敬語 (Keigo), correctly. Here are the three different forms of honorific language in Japanese:
丁寧語 (Teineigo) – polite language
It’s used to express things politely in general.
- To do – する (suru) -> します (shimasu)
尊敬語 (Sonkeigo) – respectful language
It’s used to talk about superior people, clients, and customers.
- To do – する (suru) -> なさいます (nasaimasu)
謙譲語 (Kenjōgo) – humble language
It’s used to talk about oneself in a humble form.
- To do – する (suru) -> いたします (itashimasu)
Office Supplies In Japanese
A good office worker must have a command of the items used at the office. So we’ve collected the essential office supplies in Japanese in the list below.
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperclip | クリップ | kurippu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]クリップ[/Speechword] |
| Envelope | 封筒 | fuutou | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]封筒[/Speechword] |
| Postage stamp | 切手 | kitte | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]切手[/Speechword] |
| Thumbtack | 画鋲 | gabyou | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]画鋲[/Speechword] |
| Slides | スライド | suraido | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]スライド[/Speechword] |
| Calendar | カレンダー | karendaー | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]カレンダー[/Speechword] |
| Tape | テープ | teーpu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]テープ[/Speechword] |
| Message | メッセージ | messeーji | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]メッセージ[/Speechword] |
| Fax machine | ファックス機 | fakkusu ki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]ファックス機[/Speechword] |
| Photocopier | コピー機 | kopiー ki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]コピー機[/Speechword] |
| Telephone | 電話 | denwa | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]電話[/Speechword] |
| Typewriter | タイプライタ | taipuraitā | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]タイプライタ[/Speechword] |
| Projector | プロジェクター | purojekuta | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]プロジェクター[/Speechword] |
| Computer | コンピューター | konpyūtā | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]コンピューター[/Speechword] |
| Screen | 画面 | gamen | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]画面[/Speechword] |
| Calculator | 電卓 | dentaku | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]電卓[/Speechword] |
Hierarchy In A Japanese Company
You must pay attention to hierarchy unless it is your own company, right? So here is an example of the hierarchy in a typical Japanese office.
- President/CEO – 社長 (しゃちょう)
- Vice president – 副社長 (ふくしゃちょう)
- Department manager – 部長 (ぶちょう)
- Section manager – 課長 (かちょう)
- Co-worker – 同僚 (どうりょう)
- Subordinate – 部下 (ぶか)
Must-Know Japanese Phrases To Nail Your Job Interview
In addition to your respectful attitude and confidence, Japanese business phrases can help you stand out in a job interview.
___と申します。(___ to mōshimasu.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]と申します[/Speechword]
Meaning: My name is ___.
After greeting each other, the first thing you should do is introduce yourself. In a business setting, using kenjōgo language to refer to yourself gives the impression that you have good manners and are decent.
The phrase 申します (mōshimasu) is literally translated as “I say myself as ___” in a humble way.
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。(Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]どうぞよろしくお願いいたします[/Speechword]
Meaning: I beg your kindness./It’s a pleasure to meet you.
It is a more polite version of “yoroshiku onegai shimasu,” but they have the same meaning, more or less. It would be best if you said this phrase after introducing yourself.
This is a handy phrase to use in any formal situation. You can express your gratitude and humbleness by saying this phrase, and it also means that you hope to have a good relationship from now on.
私の 強み/弱み は___です。(Watashi no tsuyomi/yowami wa ___ desu.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]私の 強み/弱み は___です[/Speechword]
Meaning: My strength/weakness is ___.
強み (tsuyomi) means “strength,” and 弱み (yowami) means “weakness.”
Explain your strengths to let the interviewer know that you are an ideal candidate for the position. And it leaves a good impression if you explain your weaknesses and how you can improve yourself.
私は___の経験があります。(Watashi wa ___ no keiken ga arimasu.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]私は___の経験があります[/Speechword]
Meaning: I have experience as ___.
経験 (keiken) means “experience.” You can use this phrase to talk about your related work experience to indicate that you are a competent candidate for the position.
いくつか質問してもいいですか。(Ikutsu ka shitsumon shite mo ii desu ka.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]いくつか質問してもいいですか[/Speechword]
Meaning: Can I ask you some questions?
If there are some unclear points during the interview, you can use this phrase and let the interviewer know that you have questions in mind. This phrase is also very versatile; you can use it anytime.
面接のお時間をいただき、どうもありがとうございました。(Mensetsu no o-jikan o itadaki, dōmo arigatō gozaimashita.)
[Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]面接のお時間をいただき、どうもありがとうございました[/Speechword]
Meaning: Thank you very much for making time for the interview.
At the end of your interview, say this phrase with a smile and remember to bow politely before leaving the interview room.
Business Vocabulary In Japanese
Japanese business vocabulary includes many loan English words written as katakana words. So they are easy to learn. Here is the list of commonly used business vocabulary in Japanese.
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| company | 会社 | kaisha | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]会社[/Speechword] |
| office | 事務所 | jimusho | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]事務所[/Speechword] |
| department | 部署 | busho | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]部署[/Speechword] |
| meeting | 会議 | kaigi | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]会議[/Speechword] |
| interview | 面接 | mensetsu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]面接[/Speechword] |
| job vacancy | 求人 | kyūjin | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]求人[/Speechword] |
| salary | 給料 | kyūryō | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]給料[/Speechword] |
| to work | 働く | hataraku | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]働く[/Speechword] |
| to report | 報告する | hōkoku suru | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]報告する[/Speechword] |
| to commute | 通勤する | tsūkin suru | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]通勤する[/Speechword] |
| boss | 上司 | jōshi | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]上司[/Speechword] |
| document | 書類 | shorui | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]書類[/Speechword] |
| client | 顧客 | kokyaku | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]顧客[/Speechword] |
| customer | お客様 | o-kyaku-sama | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]お客様[/Speechword] |
| customer | カスタマー | kasutama | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]カスタマー[/Speechword] |
| global | グローバル | gurobbaru | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]グローバル[/Speechword] |
| achievement | 功績 | koseki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]功績[/Speechword] |
| business | 商売 | shobai | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]商売[/Speechword] |
| business connection | 取引先 | torihikisaki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]取引先[/Speechword] |
| bankrupt | 倒産 | tosan | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]倒産[/Speechword] |
| accounting | 会計 | kaikei | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]会計[/Speechword] |
| business trip | 出張 | shucho | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]出張[/Speechword] |
| collaboration | タイアップ | taiappu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]タイアップ[/Speechword] |
| bank | 銀行 | ginko | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]銀行[/Speechword] |
| absence from work | 欠勤 | kekin | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]欠勤[/Speechword] |
| rush hour | 通勤ラッシュ | tsukinrsshu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]通勤ラッシュ[/Speechword] |
| enterprise company | 企業 | kigyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]企業[/Speechword] |
| limited company | 有限会社 | yugen-gaisha | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]有限会社[/Speechword] |
| public company | 株式会社 | kabushiki-gaisha | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]株式会社[/Speechword] |
| well-established company | 大手企業 | ote-kigyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]大手企業[/Speechword] |
| small-to-medium company | 中小企業 | chusho-kigyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]中小企業[/Speechword] |
| creative | クリエイティブ | kurieiteibu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]クリエイティブ[/Speechword] |
| deficit | 赤字 | akaji | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]赤字[/Speechword] |
| commerce, trade | 商業 | shogyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]商業[/Speechword] |
| crisis situation | 危機 | kiki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]危機[/Speechword] |
| development dept. | 開発部 | kaihatsu-bu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]開発部[/Speechword] |
| general affairs dept. | 総務部 | somu-bu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]総務部[/Speechword] |
| human resources dept. | 人事部 | jinji-bu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]人事部[/Speechword] |
| sales dept. | 営業部 | eigyo-bu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]営業部[/Speechword] |
| economics | 経済 | keizai | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]経済[/Speechword] |
| import | 輸入 | yunyu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]輸入[/Speechword] |
| export | 輸出 | yushutsu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]輸出[/Speechword] |
| demand | 需要 | jyuyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]需要[/Speechword] |
| global market | 地球市場 | chikyushijo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]地球市場[/Speechword] |
| finance | 金融 | kinyu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]金融[/Speechword] |
| income | 所得 | shotoku | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]所得[/Speechword] |
| letter of resignation | 辞表 | jihyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]辞表[/Speechword] |
| interview | 面接 | mensetsu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]面接[/Speechword] |
| meeting room | 会議室 | kaigishitsu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]会議室[/Speechword] |
| international | 国際的 | kokusaiteki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]国際的[/Speechword] |
| information | 知識 | chishiki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]知識[/Speechword] |
| negotiation | 交渉 | koshou | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]交渉[/Speechword] |
| inflation | インフレ | infure | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]インフレ[/Speechword] |
| new product | 新製品 | shinseihin | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]新製品[/Speechword] |
| original, creative | 独創的 | dokusoteki | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]独創的[/Speechword] |
| paid leave | 有給休暇 | yukyukyuka | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]有給休暇[/Speechword] |
| revision, alteration | 修正する | shusei-suru | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]修正する[/Speechword] |
| personal stamp | 判子 | hanko | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]判子[/Speechword] |
| salary, wage | 給料 | kyuryo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]給料[/Speechword] |
| Project proposal | 企画書 | kikakusho | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]企画書[/Speechword] |
| overtime | 残業 | zangyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]残業[/Speechword] |
| pension | 年金 | nenkin | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]年金[/Speechword] |
| sincerely yours (in letters) | 敬具 | keigu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]敬具[/Speechword] |
| surplus | 黒字 | kuroji | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]黒字[/Speechword] |
| to give feedback | フィードバックする | fidobaku-suru | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]フィードバックする[/Speechword] |
| unemployment | 失業 | shitsugyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]失業[/Speechword] |
| user | ユーザー | yuza | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]ユーザー[/Speechword] |
| supply | 供給 | kyokyu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]供給[/Speechword] |
| wealth gap | 貧困の差 | hinkon-no-sa | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]貧困の差[/Speechword] |
| work procedure | 業務 | gyomu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]業務[/Speechword] |
| employee | 従業員 | jugyo | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]従業員[/Speechword] |
| office clerk | 事務員 | jimu | [Speechword voice=”Japanese Female” isinline]事務員[/Speechword] |
Want to learn more than just business Japanese and make the Japanese language a part of your life? Then start using the Ling App right now!
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Until next time, じゃあまたね!
