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業
Business, Industry, Occupation
わざ (waza)
JLPT N4
Interesting Fact
There's another surprising side of 業: the Buddhist reading ごう (gō). 🧘 In Buddhist thought, 業 (karma) refers to actions and their consequences. So one kanji can connect occupation, skill, work, and karma—meanings that seem completely unrelated today. The common thread is the idea of what a person does and the consequences or results that follow from it.
Memory Trick
🛠️ Three shelves are packed with tools for the craftsman's work—that's 業.
Readings
Onyomi: ギョウ (gyou), ゴウ (gou)
Kunyomi: わざ (waza)
Example Words
業務
ぎょうむ (gyoumu)
Business duties
企業
きぎょう (kigyou)
Company
卒業
そつぎょう (sotsugyou)
Graduation
営業
えいぎょう (eigyou)
Business operations
Example Sentence
兄は IT業界で 働いています。
あには ITぎょうかいで はたらいています。
ani wa IT gyoukai de hataraiteimasu
My older brother works in the IT industry.