self-employed profession; liberal profession
Refers to occupations where one works independently, such as artists, actors, writers, or consultants, without being employed by a company.
See also: フリーランサー
He quit his company job and started a self-employed profession.
Income can be unstable in self-employed professions.
自由業 typically refers to independent professionals like writers or doctors, whereas 自営業 is the broader term for self-employment of any kind.
Compound of 自由 (freedom) and 業 (occupation), literally meaning 'free occupation'.