業

See also: 菐 and 业

Translingual

Han character

業 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+9, 13 strokes, cangjie input 廿金廿木 (TCTD), four-corner 3290₄, composition ⿱业𦍎)

Derived characters

• 鄴, 驜, 鸈, 澲, 嶪, 嶫, 曗

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 541, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 15170
• Dae Jaweon: page 928, character 14
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1247, character 7
• Unihan data for U+696D

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Chinese

trad.		業
simp.		业*

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 業
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (業) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
礏	*ŋoːb
業	*ŋab
鄴	*ŋab
驜	*ŋab
嶪	*ŋab
鸈	*ŋab
澲	*ŋab

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 丵 + 巾.

Etymology

work; achievement

Etymology not clear.

large; terrific

Cognate with 巖 (OC *ŋraːm) (Schuessler, 2007). See 嚴 for more.

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 業

1. profession; business; trade

   農業／农业  ―  nóngyè  ―  agriculture

   商業／商业  ―  shāngyè  ―  business; commerce; trade

   行業／行业  ―  hángyè  ―  industry; profession

2. merits and achievements; work

   功業／功业  ―  gōngyè  ―  merits and achievements

3. course of study

   學業／学业  ―  xuéyè  ―  studies

   畢業／毕业  ―  bìyè  ―  to graduate

4. property; estate

   家業／家业  ―  jiāyè  ―  family property

5. ^† lofty; large

   戎車既駕，四牡業業。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   戎车既驾，四牡业业。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

   Róng chē jì jià, sì mǔ yèyè. [Pinyin]

   His war carriage is yoked; The four steeds are lofty.

6. (literary) already
7. (Buddhism) karma

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Japanese

Kanji

業

(grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. work, business, task, profession
2. vocation
3. arts
4. performance

Readings

• Go-on: ごう (gō, Jōyō)^{←ごふ (gofu, historical)}
• Kan-on: ぎょう (gyō, Jōyō)^{←げふ (gefu, historical)}
• Kun: なり (nari, 業); わざ (waza, 業, Jōyō)
• Nanori: のぶ (nobu)

Compounds

Compounds containing 業

• 業(ごう)因(いん) (gōin), 業(ごう)縁(えん) (gōen, “(Buddhism) one's actions in life that affect one's karma”)
• 業(ごう)果(か) (gōka, “(Buddhism) the results of one's karma”)
• 業(ごう)火(か) (gōka, “hellfire”)
• 業(ごう)海(かい) (gōkai, “a metaphor for the world as a sea of sin”)
• 業(ぎょう)界(かい) (gyōkai, “industry, sector”)
• 業(ぎょう)界(か)誌(い) (gyōkai), 業(ぎょう)界(か)紙(い) (gyōkai, “an industry magazine, a trade paper, a business journal”)
• 業(ごう)感(かん) (gōkan, “(Buddhism) the joys and sorrows experienced as the results of one's karma”)
• 業(ごう)感(かん)縁(えん)起(ぎ) (gōkan engi, “(Buddhism) a doctrine in Hinayana Buddhism”)
• 業(ごう)鬼(き) (gōki, “(Buddhism) a demon invited or created by sin”)
• 業(ぎょう)々(ぎょう) (gyōgyō, “fearfully; splendidly”)
• 業(ごう)苦(く) (gōku, “(Buddhism) karmic suffering: suffering experienced in this life due to the sins committed in a previous life”)
• 業(ごう)垢(く) (gōku, “(Buddhism) evil acts born of sin”)
• 業(ごう)根(こん) (gōkon, “the root of sin, the ignorance and worldly desires that give rise to sin”)
• 業(ぎょう)作(さ) (gyōsa, “doing work”)
• 業(ごう)曝(さらし) (gōsarashi), 業(ごう)晒(さらし) (gōsarashi, “enduring shame in this life as karma for sins committed in a previous life; a no-good”)
• 業(わざ)師(し) (wazashi, “a master of various techniques in sumo; a schemer; a shrewd person”)
• 業(ごう)識(しき) (gōshiki), 業(ごっ)識(しき) (gosshiki, “(Buddhism) a consciousness born out of sin, or moved by ignorance”)
• 業(ぎょう)者(しゃ) (gyōsha, “a trader, a businessman/businesswoman, a dealer”)
• 業(ぎょう)主(しゅ) (gyōshu, “a business owner”)
• 業(ぎょう)種(しゅ) (gyōshu, “a business type or category”)
• 業(なり)所(ところ) (naritokoro, “a field to farm and a farmhouse; a second home, a vacation home”)
• 業(ぎょう)障(しょう) (gyōshō), 業(ごっ)障(しょう) (gosshō, “(Buddhism) one of the three obstacles, born of sins in a past life”)
• 業(ごう)人(にん) (gōnin, “a person suffering in this life for the sins committed in a previous life; a sinner; a no-good”)
• 業(わざ)人(びと) (wazabito, “a person with excellent technique”)
• 業(ぎょう)績(せき) (gyōseki, “earnings; achievements; results”)
• 業(わざ)前(まえ) (wazamae, “skill, ability”)
• 業(ぎょう)体(てい) (gyōtei), 業(ぎょう)体(たい) (gyōtai, “occupation, profession; a deed, an act; appearance”)
• 業(ぎょう)態(たい) (gyōtai, “business category, business format; business conditions”)
• 業(ごう)恥(はじ) (gōhaji, “extreme dishonor, severe humiliation”)
• 業(ごう)通(つう) (gōtsū, “(Buddhism) supernatural powers or abilities earned karmically through good deeds in past lives”)

• 業(ごう)突(つ)く張(ば)り (gōtsukubari, “bigoted; obstinate, stubborn”)
• 業(ごう)病(びょう) (gōbyō, “disease suffered as a result of sins committed in a previous life; an intractable or incurable disease”)
• 業(ごう)風(ふう) (gōfū, “the powerful winds of sin that blow in hell”)
• 業(ごう)腹(はら) (gōhara, “resentment, resentful”)
• 業(わざ)物(もの) (wazamono), 業(わざ)良(よ)し (wazayoshi, “a sword or other blade made by a master craftsman”)
• 業(なり)平(ひら) (narihira, “a lady's man; a lech”)
• 業(なり)平(ひら)竹(だけ) (narihira dake, “a type of bamboo ()”)
• 業(わざ)並(な)み (wazanami, “skill, ability”)
• 業(ごう)報(ほう) (gōhō), 業(ごっ)報(ぽう) (goppō, “retribution for past sins; the results of one's karma”)
• 業(ごう)報(ほう)人(にん) (gōhōnin), 業(ごっ)報(ぽう)人(にん) (goppōnin, “a person suffering retribution for past sins”)
• 業(ごう)魔(ま) (gōma, “(Buddhism) the metaphorical demon of one's own sins, obstructing the way to nirvana”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む) (gyōmu, “business, business affairs, work duties”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)管(かん)理(り) (gyōmu kanri, “business management, operational control”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)権(けん) (gyōmuken, “business right”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)執(しっ)行(こう) (gyōmu shikkō, “the carrying out of business, business operations”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)執(しっ)行(こう)者(しゃ) (gyōmu shikkōsha, “operating officer”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)執(しっ)行(こう)社(しゃ)員(いん) (gyōmu shikkō shain, “managing partner, executive member”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)上(じょう)の秘(ひ)密(みつ) (gyōmujō no himitsu, “a trade secret”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)上(じょう)の事(じ)故(こ) (gyōmujō no jiko, “an on-the-job accident”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)上(じょう)横(おう)領(りょう) (gyōmujō ōryō, “embezzlement”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)上(じょう)過(か)失(しつ) (gyōmujō kashitsu, “professional negligence”)
• 業(ぎょう)務(む)妨(ぼう)害(がい) (gyōmu bōgai), 業(ぎょう)務(む)執(しっ)行(こう)妨(ぼう)害(がい) (gyōmu shikkō bōgai, “interference in the execution of one's duty, obstruction of business”)
• 業(ごう)厄(やく) (gōyaku, “a disaster or misfortune suffered as retribution for past sins”)
• 業(ぎょう)余(よ) (gyōyo, “work on the side”)
• 業(ごう)力(りき) (gōriki, “(Buddhism) the power of karma to bring about reward or retribution”)
• 業(ぎょう)歴(れき) (gyōreki, “a business calendar”)
• 業(ごう)惑(わく) (gōwaku, “sin and worldly desires; retribution for sin and worldly desires”)
• 商(しょう)業(ぎょう) (shōgyō, “commerce, trade, business”)
• 工(こう)業(ぎょう) (kōgyō, “industry, manufacturing”)
• 企(き)業(ぎょう) (kigyō, “company, corporation, enterprise”)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
業
ぎょう Grade: 3
on’yomi

/ɡepu/ → /ɡefu/ → /ɡeu/ → /ɡjoː/

From Middle Chinese 業 (MC ngjaep). The kan'on, so likely a later borrowing.

Noun

業(ぎょう) • (gyō) ^{←げふ (gefu)?}

1. work, task, business: the job at hand
2. profession, business, trade: what one does to earn a living
3. studies, scholarship (the act of being a scholar), the arts

   医(い)科(か)の業(ぎょう)に着(ちゃく)手(しゅ)する

   ika no gyō ni chakushu suru

   set to studying medicine, start one's medical studies

Proverbs

• 業(ぎょう)は勤(つっと)むるに精(くわ)しく嬉(たの)しむに荒(すさ)む (gyō wa tsuttomuru ni kuwashiku tanoshimu ni susamu): study hard and become wise, slack off and stay dumb
• 業(ぎょう)は道(みち)に依(よ)って賢(かしこ)し (gyō wa michi ni yotte kashikoshi): the ones doing it are the experts
• 業(ぎょう)を創(はじ)め、統(とう)を垂(た)る (gyō o hajime, tō o taru): a man of virtue builds up his skills, and then passes them on to those who come after

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
業
ごう Grade: 3
on’yomi

/ɡopu/ → /ɡofu/ → /ɡou/ → /ɡoː/

From Middle Chinese 業 (MC ngjaep). The goon, so likely an earlier borrowing. Translation from the Sanskrit term कर्मन् (kárman, “act, action, performance”).

Noun

業(ごう) • (gō) ^{←ごふ (gofu)?}

1. (Buddhism) karma
2. sin, misdeed
3. abbreviation of 業腹 (gōhara): resentment, resentful

Idioms

• 業(ごう)が深(ふか)い (gō ga fukai): to be deeply sinful
• 業(ごう)が煮(に)える (gō ga nieru), 業(ごう)が煎(い)れる (gō ga ireru), 業(ごう)が湧(わ)く (gō ga waku): to be irritated, to be annoyed, to get angry
• 業(ごう)を煮(に)やす (gō o niyasu), 業(ごう)を沸(わ)かす (gō o wakasu): to lose one's temper, to fly off the handle
• 業(ごう)に沈(しず)む (gō ni shizumu): to sink into sin and despair
• 業(ごう)の風(かぜ) (gō no kaze): the powerful winds of sin that blow in hell
• 業(ごう)の秤(はかり) (gō no hakari): a mythological scale that weighs the sins of the dead
• 業(ごう)を曝(さら)す (gō o sarasu): to endure shame in this life as karma for sins committed in a previous life

Proverbs

• 業(ごう)によりて果(か)を引(ひ)く (gō ni yorite ka o hiku): you reap what you sow, what goes around comes around

Proper noun

業(ごう) • (Gō) 

1. a male given name

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
業
なり Grade: 3
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE.

Derived as the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 業る (naru, “to earn a living”). Ultimately of same origin as verb なる (to become).

Noun

業(なり) • (nari) 

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) a living, a job, what one does to earn a living

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
業
わざ Grade: 3
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Found in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE.

Alternative forms

• 技

Noun

業(わざ) • (waza) 

1. a work of great significance or intent
2. an intentional act or action
3. (Buddhism) a Buddhist memorial service
4. one's job, occupation, profession
5. a matter or affair: implies a complication or problem

   容(よう)易(い)な業(わざ)ではありませんよ。

   Yōi na waza de wa arimasen yo.

   It's no easy matter, I tell you.

6. a technique, a means of doing something

   業(わざ)を磨(みが)く

   waza o migaku

   polish one's technique

7. a move or technique in sumo, judo, kendo, or other competitive activity
8. a disaster, misfortune, calamity

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 災(わざわ)い (wazawai): a disaster

Related terms

• (intentional act): 態(わざ)と (waza to): intentionally, deliberately

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Korean

Hanja

業 • (eop) (hangeul 업, revised eop, McCune–Reischauer ŏp, Yale ep)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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Vietnamese

Han character

(deprecated template usage) 業 (nghiệp)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.