問屋

Japanese

Kanji in this term
問	屋
問 Grade: 3	屋 Grade: 3

Etymology 1

/tohiya/: [topiya] > [toɸiya] > [towiya] > [toiya]. The adverbial of 問ふ (tohu, “ask”) /tohi/ and 屋 (ya, “store”).

Noun

問屋 • (toiya) ^{←とひや (tofya)?}

1. a place for merchants to sleep
   • 1597: Ekirin Setsuyōshū (page 39)

     問屋 (トヒヤ) 商人宿

2. a wholesaler; also, such a store

Etymology 2

From toiya.

Noun

問屋 • (ton'ya) 

1. a wholesaler; also, such a store