経営する

The Japanese verb 経営する (けいえいする - keiei suru) is a foundational term in the world of business, commerce, and professional administration. At its core, it means to manage, operate, or run an enterprise. However, the nuance goes much deeper than simple 'management.' The term is composed of two kanji: 経 (kei), which originally referred to the warp threads in weaving and later came to mean 'to pass through' or 'sutra/law,' and 営 (ei), which means 'to build,' 'to camp,' or 'to perform a task.' Together, they suggest a systematic, long-term approach to building and maintaining an organization's path. Unlike the English word 'manage,' which can sometimes imply just 'getting by' or 'handling a situation,' 経営する specifically refers to the high-level strategic direction and structural oversight of a business entity. It is the act of being the 'captain' of a corporate ship.

Scope of Use

This verb is used for everything from a small family-owned ramen shop to a multi-billion dollar international conglomerate. If there is a profit-seeking or organizational goal involved, you use 経営する.

Strategic Nuance

It implies decision-making regarding resources, human capital, and long-term vision. It is rarely used for managing daily tasks (which would be 'kanri') or managing time (which is 'yotei kanri').

In a cultural context, 経営する carries a weight of responsibility. In Japan, the concept of 'Keiei' often involves a philosophy of 'Kyosei' (co-existence) with the community. It is not just about extracting profit, but about sustaining the 'warp threads' of the organization over generations. This is why you see many 'Shinise' (centuries-old businesses) in Japan; their 経営 approach is focused on longevity. When you tell someone you are 経営している, you are signaling that you hold the ultimate responsibility for the entity's survival and growth. It is a word of status and burden alike.

Historically, the term gained its modern economic meaning during the Meiji Restoration when Japan was rapidly adopting Western capitalist structures. The scholars of the time chose these kanji to translate 'management' because they captured the dual nature of 'administration' (the path/sutra) and 'operation' (the camp/business). This linguistic choice has influenced how Japanese leaders view their roles—as both administrators of a system and active builders of a future. When using this word, remember that it sounds professional and serious. It is the language of the 'Shacho' (President) and the 'Keieisha' (Manager/Executive).

Common Collocations

会社を経営する (Run a company), 多角的に経営する (Manage diversely), 共同で経営する (Manage jointly).

Using 経営する correctly requires understanding its grammatical behavior as a 'suru-verb.' It is a transitive verb, meaning it almost always takes a direct object—the business or organization being managed—marked by the particle を (wo). For example, 'Kaisha wo keiei suru' (to manage a company). However, the grammatical flexibility of Japanese allows for various forms that change the nuance from a simple action to a state of being or a continuous effort.

The Continuous State (~te iru)

When you want to say someone 'runs' a business as their current occupation, you must use the progressive form: 経営している (keiei shite iru). Using the plain form 'keiei suru' often sounds like a future intention or a general habit rather than a current job description.

Another important aspect is the passive form: 経営されている (keiei sarete iru). This is used when the focus is on the business itself and who is behind its operations. For instance, 'This hotel is managed by a famous chef' would use the passive voice. This is common in news reports and formal descriptions of organizations. Furthermore, when discussing the 'way' or 'manner' of management, you often see the noun form 経営 followed by particles like に (ni) or の (no), such as '経営に携わる' (to be involved in management) or '経営のノウハウ' (management know-how).

In professional settings, the causative form 経営させる (keiei saseru) is used when a parent company or an owner allows or makes someone else manage a branch or a subsidiary. For example, 'The CEO made his son manage the new branch.' This shows the hierarchy and delegation inherent in Japanese business culture. Additionally, the potential form 経営できる (keiei dekiru) is used to describe the capability or possibility of running a business, often used in the context of qualifications or market conditions.

Formal Expressions

In very formal contexts, such as an interview or a business speech, you might use '経営に当たる' (keiei ni ataru), which means 'to be in charge of management,' sounding more resolute and official than the standard 'keiei suru.'

Finally, consider the negative form 経営しない (keiei shinai). This isn't just about 'not managing'; it often implies a refusal to take over a business, which is a common theme in Japanese dramas about family inheritance. 'I won't manage the family store!' is a classic line. Understanding these variations allows you to navigate both the practical and emotional landscapes of Japanese business talk.

You will encounter 経営する in several distinct environments, ranging from high-stakes news broadcasts to casual neighborhood conversations. Understanding these contexts helps you grasp the word's social weight. The most common place to hear it is in the economic news. When NHK or the Nikkei reports on a company's performance, they don't just say a company 'is doing' something; they discuss how it is being 'managed.' If a CEO is stepping down, the news will say they are 'leaving the management' (経営から退く).

Business News (Economic Reports)

Phrases like '経営再建' (management restructuring) or '経営統合' (management integration/merger) are staples of the 7 PM news. Here, 'keiei' is the keyword for the health and strategy of the nation's economy.

In daily life, you'll hear it when people talk about their neighbors or acquaintances. In Japan, there is a certain respect for the 'Ji-nushi' (landowners) or 'Jiei-gyo' (self-employed people) who 'keiei' their own shops. If you ask a friend what their parents do, they might reply, 'Jikka de resutoran wo keiei shite iru' (They run a restaurant at my family home). In this context, the word sounds more professional than 'yatte iru' (doing/running), which is more colloquial. Using 'keiei' gives the business an air of formal legitimacy.

Another frequent context is Education and Academia. Students in university don't just study 'business'; they study 'Keiei-gaku' (Management Studies). If you are at a university, you will hear professors talk about 'Keiei senryaku' (management strategy) and 'Keiei rinen' (management philosophy). This academic usage reinforces the idea that management is a science and an art that must be studied and mastered, not just something one 'does' by instinct. Finally, in Job Interviews, you'll hear it when candidates talk about their aspirations: 'I want to learn how to manage a business' (経営について学びたい). It signals a high level of ambition and a desire to understand the 'big picture' of how a company functions.

Professional Networking

At 'Koryu-kai' (networking events), people introduce themselves by saying 'Kozin de jimuso wo keiei shite imasu' (I run an office personally/as a freelancer).

For English speakers, the most common pitfall when using 経営する is over-extending its meaning to match every sense of the English word 'manage.' In English, we 'manage' our time, 'manage' to catch a bus, and 'manage' a small team. In Japanese, 経営する is strictly for business/organizational management. If you say 'Jikan wo keiei suru' to mean 'manage my time,' a Japanese person will be very confused; they might think you've turned your schedule into a profitable corporation! For time, you must use 'Kanri suru' (管理する).

Mistake 1: Managing People vs. Managing a Business

If you are a manager in a store but not the owner or executive, you don't 'keiei' the store. You 'kanri' (manage/supervise) the staff or 'tencho wo shite iru' (act as store manager). 'Keiei' implies ownership or executive-level control over the business's existence.

Another frequent error is confusing 経営 (Keiei) with 運営 (Un'ei). While they both translate to 'management' or 'operation,' they are not interchangeable. 'Un'ei' is about the day-to-day running of an event, a website, or a specific program. For example, you 'un'ei' a school festival or a Facebook group. You 'keiei' the school itself or the company that owns the platform. 'Keiei' is the 'why' and 'how much,' while 'Un'ei' is the 'how' and 'when.'

Thirdly, learners often forget to use the ~te iru form when describing their current job. If you say 'Watashi wa kaisha wo keiei suru,' it sounds like a declaration of a future goal: 'I will manage a company.' To say 'I run a company (now),' you must say 'Keiei shite imasu.' This is a general rule for suru-verbs that describe occupations (like 'ryori suru' for a chef or 'benkyou suru' for a student), but it's particularly important here because of the professional context.

Mistake 2: 'Manage to do'

In English, 'I managed to finish' uses 'manage.' In Japanese, this is never 'keiei.' Use '~koto ga dekita' or 'nantoka ~shita.' 'Keiei' is never about successfully completing a task; it is always about the administration of a business.

Lastly, be careful with the particle. It is always [Business] を 経営する. Using 'ni' or 'de' incorrectly changes the meaning or makes the sentence ungrammatical. For instance, 'Kaisha de keiei suru' would mean 'to perform management *at* a company,' which is redundant and awkward. Stick to the 'wo' particle to indicate the object of your management.

Japanese has several words for 'management' and 'running things,' and choosing the right one is key to sounding natural. Let's compare 経営する with its closest cousins. The most common alternative is 運営する (un'ei suru). As discussed, 'Un'ei' is operational. If 'Keiei' is the brain deciding the strategy, 'Un'ei' is the hands doing the work. You 'un'ei' a website, a meeting, or a committee. It's about keeping the gears turning day-to-day without necessarily owning the machine.

経営 (Keiei) vs. 運営 (Un'ei)

Keiei: Strategic, long-term, profit-oriented, executive level. (e.g., Running a hotel chain)
Un'ei: Operational, administrative, functional, task-oriented. (e.g., Running a specific hotel's front desk operations)

Next is 営む (itönamu). This is a more traditional, slightly poetic verb that also means to run a business. However, it is almost exclusively used for small, personal, or family businesses, and it often carries a sense of 'making a living.' You would say a monk 'itönamu' a temple or a family 'itönamu' a small shop. It feels more 'lifestyle' oriented than the professional 'Keiei suru.' If you use 'itönamu' for a tech startup, it sounds a bit strange, as if the startup is a traditional craft shop.

経営する vs. 営む (Itönamu)

経営する: Professional, modern, systematic. Suitable for any size business.
営む: Traditional, personal, focused on the act of living through work. Suitable for small shops/temples.

Then there is 管理する (kanri suru). This is the most general word for 'control' or 'management.' It is used for managing resources, people, time, and buildings. A 'Kanri-nin' is a building superintendent. It doesn't imply the entrepreneurial risk or strategic vision that 'Keiei' does. Finally, 切り盛りする (kirimori suru) is a colorful idiom that means to 'manage skillfully' or 'juggle' many responsibilities, often used for a housewife managing a household or a manager running a busy kitchen. It implies a lot of hands-on, hectic work.