Translation guide
A person or company that buys goods in large quantities from producers and sells them to retailers, rather than to the general public.
The most common meaning: a company or person in the distribution chain between manufacturers and retail stores.
Standard formal term for a wholesaler as a business entity. Used in business and official contexts.
その卸売業者は全国の小売店に商品を供給している。
That wholesaler supplies products to retail stores nationwide.
Common everyday term for a wholesaler, often used in traditional or smaller-scale contexts. Slightly less formal than 卸売業者.
この商店街には古くからの問屋がたくさんある。
There are many long-established wholesalers in this shopping district.
Variant of 卸売業者 with the okurigana り, slightly less common but still correct.
彼は食品の卸売り業者として成功した。
He succeeded as a food wholesaler.
Another variant with different okurigana; seen occasionally but not preferred.
その会社は大手の卸し売り業者だ。
That company is a major wholesaler.
Referring to an individual whose job is wholesaling.
Can refer to both the company and the person, depending on context.
彼は長年、卸売業者として働いてきた。
He has worked as a wholesaler for many years.
Colloquial, friendly way to refer to a wholesaler as a person, often used in conversation.
問屋さんに直接注文したほうが安いよ。
It's cheaper to order directly from the wholesaler.
The activity or industry of wholesaling.
Refers to the wholesale business itself, often used in compounds like 卸売市場 (wholesale market).
彼は卸売から小売に転換した。
He switched from wholesale to retail.
Variant of 卸売, slightly more explicit.
卸売業者 is the formal, modern term for any wholesaler. 問屋 is more traditional and often implies a smaller, specialized wholesaler, especially in industries like food or textiles. In casual speech, 問屋さん is friendly.
あの問屋さんはいつも新鮮な野菜を届けてくれる。
That wholesaler always delivers fresh vegetables.
卸 (おろし) is a prefix meaning 'wholesale', used in compounds like 卸値 (wholesale price) or 卸売市場 (wholesale market). It cannot stand alone to mean 'wholesaler'.
卸し売りの価格は小売よりずっと安い。
Wholesale prices are much cheaper than retail.