1.
commerce; business; trade
The activity of buying and selling goods and services, especially on a large scale.
商業地区に行く。
To go to the commercial district.
商業活動が盛んだ。
Commercial activity is thriving.
この区域は商業地区に指定されている。
This area is designated as a commercial district.
商業 is a formal term for commerce and trade, often used in compound words and official contexts rather than in casual conversation.
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 商業地区: commercial district
- 商業施設: commercial facility
- 商業活動: commercial activity
- 商業主義: commercialism
- 商業高校: commercial high school
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 商売: business, trade (more colloquial, personal-scale)
- 貿易: foreign trade, import-export
- ビジネス: business (loanword, broad usage)
- 経済: economy (broader concept)
REGISTER:
Formal and written. In everyday speech, 商売 or ビジネス are more common when talking about doing business.