Translation guide
The service industry refers to businesses that provide services rather than goods. In Japanese, the most common term is サービス業, but other expressions exist depending on context.
Referring to the service sector as a whole, including hospitality, retail, and other service-based businesses.
The most common and direct translation. Used in everyday conversation and business contexts.
彼はサービス業で働いています。
He works in the service industry.
Literally 'tertiary industry'. Used in economic or statistical contexts.
第三次産業はGDPの大部分を占めています。
The tertiary industry accounts for a large portion of GDP.
A less common variant of サービス業, sometimes used in formal or academic writing.
サービス産業の成長が著しい。
The growth of the service industry is remarkable.
Emphasizing the aspect of serving customers directly, such as in restaurants, hotels, or retail.
Specifically refers to businesses where employees interact directly with customers, like restaurants, hotels, and retail stores.
接客業はストレスが多いこともあります。
Working in customer service can be stressful.
Also used for hospitality, but broader. 接客業 is more precise for face-to-face service.
Contrasting service-based businesses with manufacturing or goods-producing industries.
A common way to contrast service industry and manufacturing industry.
サービス業対製造業の雇用割合が変化している。
The employment ratio between the service industry and manufacturing is changing.
サービス業 is a broad term covering all service industries (finance, IT, healthcare, etc.), while 接客業 specifically refers to jobs involving direct customer interaction (hospitality, retail). Use 接客業 when emphasizing face-to-face service.
銀行はサービス業ですが、接客業とは限りません。
Banks are part of the service industry, but not necessarily customer service jobs.
サービス業の中でも接客業が好きです。
Within the service industry, I like customer service jobs.