noun
succeeding to a business; inheriting a trade
Archaic term for taking over a family business or occupation. In modern Japanese, 跡継ぎ (あとつぎ) or 事業承継 (じぎょうしょうけい) are more common.
江戸時代には、長男が嗣業するのが一般的だった。
In the Edo period, it was common for the eldest son to succeed to the family business.
Compound of 嗣 (し, 'to inherit, succeed') and 業 (ぎょう, 'business, occupation'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of inheriting a trade.