Japanese Conversation · Level 48
90 words
Japanese word
問屋
Pronunciation
Romajiton'ya
Meaning
- nounwholesaler
Example
その店は町の問屋から魚を買っています。so no mise wa machi no ton ya ka ra sakana o ka tte i ma su
That store buys fish from a local wholesaler.
More examples
農家は収穫した野菜を問屋に卸しています。nō ka wa shū kaku shi ta ya sai o ton ya ni oro shi te i ma su
Farmers sell their harvested vegetables to a wholesaler.
Core concept
It centers on a business that buys goods in quantity from producers and passes them to retailers.
Common phrases
問屋に卸すton ya ni oro su
sell to a wholesaler
問屋から仕入れるton ya ka ra shi i re ru
buy stock from a wholesaler
問屋と取引するton ya to torihiki su ru
do business with a wholesaler
Similar words
卸売業者oroshiurigyōsha: A business that buys goods in quantity and sells them to retailers.
Definition in Japanese
生産者から商品を仕入れ、小売業者などに卸売りする業者。sei san sha ka ra shō hin o shi i re kouri gyō sha na do ni oroshi u ri su ru gyō sha
Word origin
The native Japanese word 問屋 (ton'ya, "wholesaler") developed from といや (toiya, "a person handling inquiries or orders"); it joins 問い (toi, "inquiry") and 屋 (ya, "dealer or business").
Usage tips
- The word appears in long-established merchant-area names, where 問屋 (ton'ya) points to a district associated with wholesale trade rather than ordinary retail.
Other meanings
- wholesale storenoun
Related words
- 問屋業tonyagyōwholesale tradenoun