Business Japanese
Japanese Grammar 4
Course 4 ยท Chapter 4 ยท Business Japanese
๐ผ Business Japanese โ ใใธใใน ใซใปใใ
Honorific and humble forms are tools; business Japanese is where they meet a fixed set of phrases, rituals and cushioning. A lot of what you say at work is not freely built but chosen from a small number of proven formulas: greetings, openings, transitions, requests, refusals and apologies. This chapter gives you those formulas and shows when to use each.
The rule in one box
Business Japanese = keigo + set phrases + indirectness. Open with a greeting, cushion requests and refusals (ใใใใใใพใใ, ใใใซใ), say thanks and apology generously, and close with ใใใใใใญใใใใใใพใ. Avoid blunt "no", personal pronouns (ใใใ / ใใชใ are replaced by names and titles) and casual endings.
1. The set phrases
| Phrase | Use | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ใใคใใใใพใงใใ | colleagues, inside the company; greeting and goodbye | Thanks for your hard work. |
| ใใคใใใใพใงใใใ | end of the day or a task | Thank you for your work (today). |
| ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใใ | customers, partners, at the start of a call or email | Thank you for your continued support. |
| ใใใใซ ใชใใพใใ | first meeting or beginning a relationship | I'll be in your care. |
| ใใใใ ใใญใใใใใใพใใ | closing a request, email or meeting | I look forward to working with you / please. |
| ใใคใใใใใใพใใ | entering or leaving a room; hanging up | Excuse me / goodbye. |
| ใใใใซ ใใคใใใใพใใ | leaving before others | I'll leave first, excuse me. |
| ใใใใพใใพใใใ | accepting a request | Certainly. |
| ใใใใกใใใใพใใใ | accepting a request, slightly more formal | Understood. |
| ใใใใใใพใใ | cushion before a request; thanks for a kindness | I'm sorry to trouble you / that's kind. |
Watch out: ใใคใใใใพใงใ and ใใใใใใพใงใ
ใใคใใใใพใงใ works in almost every direction. ใใใใใใพใงใ is for superiors speaking to juniors; saying it to your boss sounds condescending. And ใใใใใใใพใใ ("roger") is too casual for superiors and customers: use ใใใใพใใพใใ / ใใใใกใใใใพใใ.
2. Cushion words
A cushion word (ใฏใใทใงใณใใจใฐ) softens the next sentence: a request, a question, a refusal.
| Cushion | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใใใใใใพใใ | ใใใใใใพใใใใใชใพใใ ใใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใใ | I'm sorry to trouble you, but could I have your name? |
| ใใคใใใงใใ | ใใคใใใงใใใใฉใกใใใพใงใใใใใ | Excuse me, but who is calling? |
| ใใใใใใ ใจใใ | ใใใใใใ ใจใใใใใใใใใใใใพใใใ | I apologise for troubling you when you're busy. |
| ใใใซใ | ใใใซใใใใชใใฏ ใปใใฎ ใงใใใซ ใงใฆ ใใใพใใ | Unfortunately, Tanaka is on another call. |
| ใใฃใใใงใใ | ใใฃใใใงใใใใใใใใฏ ใฟใใใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใ | Thank you for the offer, but I must pass this time. |
| ใใใใใใฐ | ใใใใใใฐใใใใฃใใ ใใ ใใใ | If you like, please join us. |
3. Emails
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject | ใใใใใใใ3ใใค 5ใซใกใฎ ใใกใใใใฎ ใใใซใคใใฆ |
| Recipient | โโใใถใใใใใใ ใใใใใใถ ใใพใ ใถใกใใ ใใพ |
| Greeting + self | ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใใโณโณใใใใใฎ ใใใใงใใ |
| Purpose | ใใฃใใใงใใใใใใใ ใใฎ ใใกใใใใฎ ใซใฃใฆใ ใซใคใใฆ ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใ |
| Details | 3ใใค 5ใซใก (ใใ) 14ใใใ ใใใฆใใ ใใใ ใใพใใงใใใใใ |
| Closing | ใใใใใใ ใจใใ ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใใใใใใใซใ ใฎ ใปใฉใใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใ |
| Signature | name, company, department, phone, email |
| Phrase | Use |
|---|---|
| ใใฃใใใงใใ | "Getting straight to the point" |
| ใใใใซใใฎ ใปใฉใใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใ | "Please confirm." |
| ใใใใใใ ใใพใกใใฆ ใใใพใใ | "I look forward to hearing from you." |
| ใฒใใคใฅใ ใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใใใพใใ | "I look forward to our continued relationship." |
| ใใฆใใใ ใใใใใฆ ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใใ | "Apologies for the trouble." |
4. Telephone Japanese
| Moment | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Answering | ใฏใใโโใใใใใง ใใใใพใใ (not ใใใใ) |
| Greeting the caller | ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใใ |
| Asking who's calling | ใใคใใใงใใใใฉใกใใใพใงใใใใใ |
| Asking for someone | ใใชใใใพใฏ ใใใฃใใใใพใใใ / ใใชใใใพใ ใใญใใใงใใพใใงใใใใใ |
| Putting on hold | ใใใใใใ ใใพใก ใใ ใใใ |
| Person unavailable | ใใชใใฏ ใใ ใใพ ใใใ ใฏใใใฆ ใใใพใใ |
| Offering to take a message | ใใใใใใฐ ใใงใใใใ ใใใใพใใใพใใ |
| Offering a callback | ใใฉใใใ ใใใใใใใ ใใงใใ ใใใใพใใ |
| Closing | ใใใงใฏใใใคใใใใใใพใใ |
Watch out: your own side is lowered on the phone
On the phone with an outsider, your colleagues and boss are inside: ใใชใใฏ (no ใใ), ใใใใ
ใคใใฆ ใใใพใ (no honorific). Never say ใใชใใใใฏ ใใใฃใใใใพใใ about your own colleague to a customer (Chapter 1).
5. Meetings
| Moment | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Meeting someone new | ใฏใใใพใใฆใโณโณใใใใใฎ ใใใใจ ใใใใพใใใฉใใ ใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใ |
| Exchanging business cards | ใกใใใ ใ ใใใใพใใ (receiving) / ใใใใ ใใใ ใใพใใใ |
| Opening | ใปใใใคใฏ ใใใใใใ ใชใใใใใใใ ใใใ ใ ใใใใจใใใใใพใใ |
| Starting | ใใใงใฏใใฏใใใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใ |
| Giving an opinion | ใใใใใฏใใใ ใใใใใฆ ใใใพใใ / ใใใใใงใใใใใ |
| Disagreeing softly | ใใฃใใใ ใใจใฏ ใใ ใใใใพใใใโฆ |
| Deferring a decision | ใใกใใใฃใฆ ใใใจใ ใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใ |
| Closing | ใปใใใคใฏ ใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ |
6. Refusing, apologising and thanking
| Function | Soft / formal | Too direct (avoid) |
|---|---|---|
| Refusing | ใใฃใใใงใใใใใใใใฏ ใฟใใใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใ ใใใซใใใใฎ ใฒใฏ ใกใใฃใจโฆใ | ใงใใพใใใ / ใ ใใงใใ |
| Apologising | ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใใ ใใใธใ ใใคใใใใใใพใใใ ใตใใ ใใใณ ใใใใใใพใใ | ใใใใ / ใใฟใพใใใ (too casual for serious errors) |
| Thanking | ใใใใจใใใใใพใใ ใใใใใใใ ใใใ ใ ใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ ใใใธใ ใใใใใพใใใ | ใใใใจใใ |
Watch out: indirect refusals
A Japanese business refusal rarely uses a direct "no". Common indirect forms: ใใใใใใใ ใใใพใใ ("It may be difficult"), ใใใจใ ใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใ ("We'll consider it", often meaning no), ใกใใฃใจโฆ (trailing off). Both sides understand. When you must be clear, give a reason (ใใฎ ใใ) and an apology.
๐ฃ๏ธ In Use โ ใคใใใใ
Work conversations.
โ A phone call
A:
ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใใโณโณใฎ ใใใใจ ใใใใพใใใใใพใ ใใพใฏ ใใใฃใใใใพใใงใใใใใ
Thank you for your continued support. This is Suzuki from โณโณ. Is Mr Yamada available?
B:
ใใใซใ ใใพใ ใฏ ใใ ใใพ ใใใ ใฏใใใฆ ใใใพใใใใฉใใใ ใใใใใใใ ใใงใใ ใใใใพใใใใใ
I'm sorry, Yamada has stepped away. Shall I have him call you back when he returns?
โก A first meeting
A:
ใฏใใใพใใฆใABC ใใใใใฎ ใใชใใจ ใใใใพใใใฉใใ ใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใ
Pleased to meet you. I'm Tanaka from ABC. I look forward to working with you.
B:
ใใกใใใใใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใใใใใ ใกใใใ ใ ใใใใพใใ
Likewise. I'll accept your business card.
โข Declining an invitation
A:
ใใใใ
ใใฎ ใใใใใซ ใใใใ ใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Would you be able to join next week's gathering?
B:
ใใฃใใใงใใใใใฎ ใฒใฏ ใใใซใ ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใฆโฆใใพใ ใใฒ ใใใใ ใใ ใใใ
Thank you, but unfortunately I have a prior engagement that day. Please do invite me again.
๐ Quick Reference
| Function | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Colleague greeting | ใใคใใใใพใงใ |
| Client greeting | ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใ |
| Closing a request | ใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใ |
| Accepting | ใใใใพใใพใใ; ใใใใกใใใใพใใ |
| Cushion | ใใใใใใพใใ; ใใคใใใงใใ; ใใใซใ; ใใฃใใใงใใ |
| Apology | ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใ |
| Thanks | ใใใใจใใใใใพใ; ใใใใใใใ ใใใ ใโฆ |
| On the phone | ใใฏ ใใ ใใพ ใใใ ใฏใใใฆ ใใใพใ |
โ๏ธ Practice โ ใใใใ ใ
Try each one, then click to check.
1. What do you say to a colleague as you leave before the others?
Show answer
ใใใใซ ใใคใใใใพใใ
2. Which opening for a call with a customer: ใใคใใใใพใงใ or ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใ?
Show answer
ใใคใ ใใใใซ ใชใฃใฆใใใพใใ ใใคใใใใพใงใ is for colleagues.
3. Politely accept a request from a customer.
Show answer
ใใใใพใใพใใใ
4. Ask a caller who they are, politely.
Show answer
ใใคใใใงใใใใฉใกใใใพใงใใใใใ
5. Tell a caller that your colleague Tanaka is out.
Show answer
ใใชใใฏ ใใ ใใพ ใใใใ ใคใใฆ ใใใพใใ
6. Politely close an email asking the recipient to confirm.
Show answer
ใใใใซใใฎ ใปใฉใใใใใ ใใญใใ ใใใใพใใ
7. Decline an offer without saying "no".
Show answer
ใใฃใใใงใใใใใใใใฏ ใฟใใใใใฆ ใใใ ใใพใใ
8. Apologise for a serious mistake, formally.
Show answer
ใใใธใ ใใใใใ ใใใใพใใใ (or ใตใใ ใใใณ ใใใใใใพใใ)
9. Why shouldn't you say ใใใใใใใพใใ to your boss?
Show answer
It's too casual (a "roger"). Use ใใใใพใใพใใ or ใใใใกใใใใพใใ.
10. Why do we say ใใชใใฏ and not ใใชใใใใฏ on the phone with a customer?
Show answer
Your colleague is inside your group; to outsiders you lower your own side and drop ใใ.
Coming up in Chapter 5: Written Style. The ใ ใปใงใใ style, the dictionary form in essays, ใใจ่ใใใใ, headlines and summaries, and the register of reports and newspapers.