商人(あきんど)

あきんど
noun
merchant; trader; shopkeeper
businessculture
1. merchant; trader; shopkeeper
A person who buys and sells goods for profit. This native Japanese reading (あきんど) carries a more traditional, earthy connotation compared to the Sino-Japanese reading (しょうにん), evoking historical merchants and the spirit of commerce.
大阪(おおさか)は商人(あきんど)の町(まち)だ。
Osaka is a city of merchants.
商人(あきんど)の家(いえ)に生(う)まれた。
I was born into a merchant family.
あの店(みせ)の主人(しゅじん)は、さすが商人(あきんど)だけあって交渉(こうしょう)がうまい。
The shop owner is skilled at negotiating — as you'd expect from a born merchant.
江戸時代(えどじだい)の商人(あきんど)たちは独自(どくじ)の文化(ぶんか)を築(きず)いた。
The merchants of the Edo period created their own distinctive culture.

The native reading あきんど has a warmer, more traditional feel than the formal しょうにん reading. Strongly associated with Osaka's merchant culture (商人(あきんど)気質(かたぎ), merchant spirit) and the Edo-period merchant class. In modern usage, sometimes carries a slightly shrewd or street-smart nuance.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 商人(しょうにん): merchant — same kanji, Sino-Japanese reading; more formal and neutral
  • 商売人(しょうばいにん): businessperson — emphasizes being engaged in commerce
  • 貿易商(ぼうえきしょう): trader — specifically international trade

Related Words

Related: 商人(しょうにん) (Sino-Japanese reading)
Compare: 商売人(しょうばいにん) (businessperson)
general
Added 2026.5.5 23:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
26500/26869_akindo