生業なりわい

家か業ぎょうN1
生業 refers humbly to one's means of livelihood, whereas 家業 stresses that the trade is a family inheritance.
本ほん業ぎょう
生業 is a more literary or old-fashioned word for one's livelihood/trade, while 本業 is the everyday term for one's main line of work.
稼か業ぎょう
生業 is a literary word for one's means of livelihood, close in nuance to 稼業 but even more formal and often used in written or poetic contexts.
職しょく業ぎょうN3
生業 is a more literary or old-fashioned word emphasizing one's occupation as a means of livelihood, while 職業 is the neutral, everyday term.

Written forms

生業Usage84%
- なりわい
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
  Standard kanji spelling for the common reading なりわい. High priority in news and frequency.
- せいぎょう
  Alternate reading restricted to this kanji form. Less common than なりわい.
なりわいUsage16%
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
家業なりわい
rarely-used kanji formgikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Rarely used kanji form for なりわい. More commonly read as かぎょう (family business).
せいぎょう

Etymology

The reading なりわい is a jukujikun (special kanji reading) derived from the classical Japanese verb なりはふ (to do as a living). The kanji 生業 literally mean 'life work'.