What are the differences between the Chinese words for business?

[heimi]

大家好， 我是个新来的！ 我有一个问题。。。

My Chinese is pretty good and I have just started studying some Business Chinese at home. In English the word business can encompass quite a few meanings, for which the Chinese have independent words for example:

业务, 生意，商务，工商业 还有 商业

I'm pretty sure 业务 is used to represent recent trade or business dealings for example 最近的业务怎么样？- How has business been lately?

Could people give a few more examples on usage. I know some of them concern commerce rather than business as a whole.

谢谢

[skylee]

I'm pretty sure 业务 is used to represent recent trade or business dealings for example 最近的业务怎么样？- How has business been lately?

I would say 最近的生意怎麼樣 instead. But perhaps it is just me.

[heimi]

Yeah, i asked my wife on this one too. She said both are right but the meaning is slightly altered with each. With 生意 she's iterating that you'd say that if you were talking to the boss of a small business/company. Like a shop owner perhaps. You'd ask how has business been today? 今天生意怎么样？ Then she gave an example of a salesperson with targets and asking how business has been for that person. Perhaps, how have your sales been today? This time using 业务 -> 今天业务怎么样？ This being the case because it's not the seller's business so they have no 生意 so to speak..... Sound about right?

Thanks for the quick reply though

[jkduck]

i am a Chinese.i think your wife is right,生意is not so formal,it just refer to a not so big, personal business.when we refer to big company we will use 业务.

[dwq]

I think 业务 is more formal and is used usually in a reporting sense, i.e. 业务报告 from staff to a superior, from a child company to a mother company whereas 生意 is more informal and 今天生意怎么样？ can be asked by everyone, like a random customer to a small shop owner.

商务 most usually seen in 商务客位, "business class" of airplane seats; business activity

商业 commercial, as in commercial sector

工商业 industrial and commercial sector

[heimi]

Ahh, I think I get it much more. I think looking at it as formal/informal differences will help me out a lot. Thanks a lot for the responses

[lingo-ling]

Here are some approximations:

業務 is often translated as "sales".

生意 is like when you ask a shopkeeper or restaurateur "How's business?" It's what a small businessperson does to make a living.

商業 is commerce.

商務 is commercial.

企業 is business as in "enterprise" or "company": "Many businesses failed in the third quarter."

業 is business as in "industry": "The fast food business enjoyed sharp growth in 2011."

[dwq]

I'd just like to add 生意 is not limited to small businesses, e.g. google 生意額 (Revenue) and you can see figures in the billions and referring to multinational companies. The more formal 營業額 is also used.

[Kaxia]

When I can't get the feeling of the word I usually take a look at other expressions with it. 商务 means commerce but is used in a lot of words meaning business class/centre etc. (商务舱机票/商务中心).

I know it's not always right but it helps me remember， to look at the meanings of the characters. 生意 will have sth to do with livelihood and 业务 with service/ business operations etc.

I do agree that “生意怎么样?” is more informal. I often heard it said between friends (business owners). But I actually learned the phrase from sales representatives during a trade fair who used it to ask each other how many prospective customers they've had today. So I think it's more connected to 销售 than 业务(the services/business provided by the company)。

As for 业务, I was wondering. When you hear 业务忙 is your first impression 'we're doing great and we're happy' or 'busy, can't make your order'?

[heimi]

When you hear 业务忙 is your first impression 'we're doing great and we're happy' or 'busy, can't make your order'?

I might not be good enough to really comment on this one but my instincts would be that it depends on how it is said. Enthusiastically would be the former and apologetically would be the latter. Don't know if the meaning changes much but perhaps 业务太忙了 could be used with the latter?

Kaxia - I also do that when I'm learning. I also find I can learn words much quicker if I know the meanings of characters loosely and then see them elsewhere in other words. For example if I know the meaning of 保　（keep/maintain)　or atleast the general concept of it then I can grasp and remember other words much quicker such as 保留 (keep something staying where it is），保暖（keeping the warmth)，　保安 (keeping/keeper of the peace). That's why I was looking for some examples of the different words I'd put up, to help me see them with some context.