営業する

§ What does 営業する mean?

The Japanese verb 営業する (えいぎょうする, eigyō suru) is a really useful word to know, especially if you're interested in business, shopping, or even just daily life in Japan. At its core, it means 'to do sales' or 'to conduct business'. It's more than just selling; it encompasses the broader idea of operating a business, a store, or even a specific department within a company.

DEFINITION

To do sales; to conduct business; to operate (a store, business, department).

Think of it this way: when a store is open and serving customers, it is 営業している (eigyō shite iru). When a company is actively trying to sell its products or services, they are 営業する. It's a broad term that covers a lot of ground in the business world.

§ When do people use 営業する?

You'll hear and see 営業する in many different contexts. Here are some common situations:

• Store Hours: This is probably one of the most common uses. You'll see signs saying 営業時間 (eigyō jikan), which means 'business hours' or 'opening hours'. For example, if a store says 9時から5時まで営業します (9-ji kara 5-ji made eigyō shimasu), it means 'We are open from 9 AM to 5 PM.'
• Business Operations: When talking about a company actively running its business. For instance, if a company is doing well, you might hear 営業成績が良い (eigyō seiseki ga yoi), meaning 'sales performance is good'.
• Sales Activities: When someone is specifically engaged in sales work. A sales person is an 営業担当 (eigyō tantō) or 営業マン (eigyō man). They 営業する to potential clients.
• Departmental Work: In a company, the 'sales department' is called 営業部 (eigyō-bu). Their main job is to 営業する.

It's important to differentiate it from just 'working' (働く, hataraku). While sales is work, 営業する specifically points to the act of conducting business or sales. A factory worker 働く, but they don't necessarily 営業する.

Let's look at some examples to make this clearer.

§ Examples of 営業する in use

Hint: This store is open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM.

Hint: We are planning to conduct business in a new market.

Hint: The company will not be operating this afternoon.

As you can see, 営業する is quite versatile. Pay attention to the context, and you'll quickly get the hang of it.

§ Understanding 営業する (Eigyō suru)

The verb 営業する (えいぎょうする, eigyō suru) literally means "to do sales" or "to conduct business." It's a very common verb you'll encounter in business contexts, and it refers to the act of operating a business, selling products or services, or even the department responsible for sales.

Verb Type

Regular verb (する verb), transitive

Because 営業する is a する verb, it can be broken down into the noun 営業 (eigyō, sales/business) and the verb する (suru, to do). This means you can also use 営業 as a noun on its own in many contexts, but when you want to express the action of doing sales or operating a business, 営業する is the go-to verb.

§ Basic Sentence Structures with 営業する

When using 営業する, you'll often see it in a few key patterns.

• Company/Store + は (wa) + 営業する: This structure is used to say that a company or store is open for business or is operating.
• Company/Person + は (wa) + (thing being sold/business type) + を (o) + 営業する: This indicates what kind of business is being conducted or what is being sold.
• 営業 + しています (shite imasu): This is the continuous form, meaning "is operating" or "is open for business."

§ Examples in Context

Let's look at some practical examples.

Here, 営業しています (eigyō shite imasu) clearly states the store's operating hours.

In this example, 営業する takes on the meaning of actively selling products.

This sentence uses 営業する to describe the main business activity of a company.

§ Common Phrases and Uses

Here are some common phrases where 営業する is used:

• 営業時間 (えいぎょうじかん, eigyō jikan): Business hours. This is a very common noun derived from 営業.
• 年中無休で営業 (ねんじゅうむきゅうでえいぎょう, nenjū mukyū de eigyō): Open all year round without holidays.
• 本日休業 (ほんじつきゅうぎょう, honjitsu kyūgyō): Closed today. (休業 kyūgyō is the opposite of 営業 in this context).
• 営業部 (えいぎょうぶ, eigyō-bu): Sales department.

The polite form 営業しております (eigyō shite orimasu) is often used in announcements or formal settings.

Alright, so we've talked about what 営業する (えいぎょうする) means: "to do sales" or "to conduct business." Now, let's look at where you'll actually encounter this word in real life. It's not just for people in suits; it pops up in a lot of everyday contexts in Japan.

§ At Work

This is probably the most common place you'll hear 営業する. If someone works in sales, they're doing 営業. But it's not just about selling products; it can also mean a company is simply open for business.

Hint

He is a real estate sales person. (営業マン means sales person)

Hint

This store is open (conducts business) every day from 10 AM.

§ In the News or Public Announcements

When there's an announcement about a business opening, closing, or changing its hours, you'll definitely hear 営業する or related terms. This is common during holidays, natural disasters, or special events.

Hint

Due to the typhoon, the department store will cease its business today.

Hint

A new cafe will start operating (conducting business) from next month.

§ Everyday Conversations

Even in casual chats, you might hear this word, especially when talking about local shops or services.

• A: 「あのレストラン、もう営業してるかな？」
• B: 「うん、たしか午後5時からだよ。」

Hint

A: "Is that restaurant open for business yet?" B: "Yeah, I think from 5 PM."

So, whether you're reading a sign, listening to the news, or just chatting with a friend, 営業する is a practical word that you'll definitely come across. Pay attention to the context, and you'll quickly get a feel for its various uses.

§ Don't confuse it with 'work' or 'do business' generally

Many learners mistakenly use 営業する (eigyō suru) for any kind of work or doing business in general. However, 営業する specifically refers to sales activities or operating a business in a public-facing way. It's about bringing in customers and generating revenue, not just performing tasks.

In this example, 営業する correctly implies the act of going out to make sales or conduct business development. If you just mean 'work,' you'd use 働く (hataraku).

§ Incorrectly applying it to non-commercial activities

Another common error is using 営業する for activities that aren't commercial or business-related. For instance, you wouldn't use it for a doctor seeing patients (診察する, shinsatsu suru) or a teacher teaching students (教える, oshieru), even though these are professional activities. 営業する always implies a commercial exchange or the active running of a business entity.

Here, 営業する correctly indicates the store's operating hours, implying that it is conducting business and serving customers during these times.

§ Using it for internal company tasks

While 営業する is about business, it's not typically used for internal company tasks or administrative work that doesn't directly involve customers or revenue generation. For example, preparing reports or attending internal meetings are not 営業する activities. These would be more appropriately described with verbs like 事務作業をする (jimushagyō o suru - to do administrative work) or 会議に参加する (kaigi ni sanka suru - to attend a meeting).

This sentence correctly uses 営業する in the context of acquiring new clients, a clear sales-related activity.

DEFINITION

To do sales or conduct business.

To avoid these mistakes, always remember that 営業する implies a direct engagement with the market, customers, or the active operation of a commercial enterprise. If the activity is internal, non-commercial, or a general type of work, a different verb is likely needed.

• If you mean 'to work' in general: 働く (hataraku)

• If you mean 'to manage/run' a business (more broadly than just sales): 経営する (keiei suru)

• If you mean 'to be open for business' (like a store): 営業中 (eigyōchū)