noun
commercial and industrial workers; businesspeople and manufacturers
Refers collectively to people engaged in commerce and industry, such as merchants, traders, and factory owners. Often used in economic or policy contexts.
この地域の商工業者は新しい規制に反対している。
The commercial and industrial workers in this region oppose the new regulations.
Compound of 商工業 (commerce and industry) + 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is a straightforward modern formation.