顧こ客きゃく

こ

きゃ

く

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

A formal business term for a customer or client, especially in commercial or service contexts. More formal than 客 (きゃく).

当とう社しゃは顧こ客きゃく満まん足ぞく度どの向こう上じょうに努つとめています。
Our company strives to improve customer satisfaction.
顧こ客きゃく情じょう報ほうは厳げん重じゅうに管かん理りされています。
Customer information is strictly managed.

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Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉を獲かく得とくするto acquire/win a customer
新あたらしい顧こ客きゃくを獲かく得とくするために営えい業ぎょうを強きょう化かした。
We strengthened our sales efforts to acquire new customers.
〈人ひと〉に対たい応おうするto respond to/deal with a customer
スタッフは丁てい寧ねいに顧こ客きゃくに対たい応おうした。
The staff dealt with the customer politely.
〈人ひと〉を開かい拓たくするto develop/open up new customers (business)
この地ち域いきで新しん規き顧こ客きゃくを開かい拓たくする計けい画かくがある。
There is a plan to develop new customers in this region.
〈人ひと〉のニーズに応こたえるto meet a customer's needs
顧こ客きゃくのニーズに応こたえる製せい品ひんを開かい発はつした。
We developed a product that meets our customers' needs.

Kanji

顧look back, review, examine oneself
客guest, visitor, customer

Related words· 6

客きゃくN4
客 is a general, casual word for any customer or guest, while 顧客 is a formal business term for a client or regular patron.
クライアント
クライアント is a loanword typically used for clients of professional services like law or consulting, whereas 顧客 covers a broader range including retail customers.
得とく意い先さきN2
得意先 emphasizes a long-standing business relationship or regular buyer, while 顧客 is the more general formal term for any customer or client.
取とり引ひき先さきN2
顧客 is a broad term for any customer or client, especially in service industries, while 取引先 specifically denotes a business partner with an ongoing trading relationship.

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消しょう費ひ者しゃN2
顧客 is a more formal business term for a specific client or customer, while 消費者 refers broadly to anyone who purchases or uses goods in the market.
カスタマー
顧客 is a formal business term emphasizing an ongoing client relationship, whereas カスタマー is a more general loanword for any customer.

Don't confuse with

顧こ問もん
顧問 (an adviser) and 顧客 (a customer/client) share the kanji 顧 and can be misread, but they refer to completely different roles.

Word family· 12

上じょう顧こ客きゃく
loyal customer; important customer
顧こ客きゃく層そう
customer base; clientele; customer segment
大おお口くち顧こ客きゃく
major customer; large client
顧こ客きゃく志し向こう
customer orientation; customer-focused
顧こ客きゃく情じょう報ほう
customer information

Show 5 more

顧こ客きゃく満まん足ぞく
customer satisfaction
顧こ客きゃくニーズ
customer needs
顧こ客きゃくベース
customer base
顧こ客きゃくリスト
client list; customer list
顧こ客きゃく満まん足ぞく度ど
customer satisfaction level; degree of customer satisfaction

See all 12 in Explore →

Written forms

顧客Usage100%
- こきゃく
  Standard kanji form; the reading こかく is rare and not normally used.
- こかく
こかく

Etymology

Compound of 顧 (こ, 'look back; care for') and 客 (きゃく, 'guest; customer'), literally 'a guest one cares for'. The reading こかく is a rare historical variant.