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紳商 (shinshou) Japanese meaning: wealthy merchant | Kotomora
じ 字 Furigana
Kanji 紳 sire, good belt, gentleman 商 make a deal, selling, dealing in Related words 豪ごう 商しょう 豪商 emphasizes great wealth and business scale, while 紳商 adds a nuance of social respectability and gentlemanly status.
商しょう 人にん 商人 is a general term for a merchant or trader, without the implication of high social standing or wealth that 紳商 carries.
Etymology Compound of 紳 (gentleman, person of high social standing) and 商 (commerce, merchant). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged in the Meiji or Taisho era to describe merchants who attained social prestige.
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During the Meiji period, many wealthy merchants invested in new industries.