Benkyō (勉強 - Discounting/Study)

Benkyō

There is a Japanese term, 'benkyō' (勉強), which means "study."

Japanese language learning textbooks will always explain that 'benkyō' means "study" or something similar.

However, in commercial transactions, 'benkyō' is sometimes used to mean "discounting."

Originally, 'benkyō' meant "to be forced to do something" or "to force oneself."

In other words, forcing oneself for merchants means "discounting."

It is believed that such an indirect expression came to be used because using direct expressions such as 'takai' (高い - meaning "expensive") or 'nebiki' (値引き - meaning "discount") is sometimes impolite in negotiations.

勉強

"Study" を意味する「勉強」という日本語があります。

日本語の学習テキストなどでは、「勉強」は必ず "study" またはそれに近い意味で出てくると思います。

しかし、商業上の取引の世界では、慣習的に「勉強」を「値引き」の意味で使うことがあります。

「勉強」はもともと、「何かを強制されてすること」や「無理をすること」を意味する言葉でした。

このことから、「商人が無理をすること」、すなわち「値引き」の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

交渉の場で、「高い」「値引き」などの直接的な表現を使うのは時折失礼にもなることから、このような間接的な表現が使われるようになったと考えられています。

• In other words, forcing oneself for merchants means "discounting."
• In other words, From this, it came to have the meaning of "a merchant forcing himself," in other words, for merchants means "to discounting."

• It is believed that such an indirect expression came to be used because using direct expressions such as 'takai' (高い - meaning "expensive") or 'nebiki' (値引き - meaning "discount") is sometimes impolite in negotiations.
• It is believed that such an indirect expression came to be used because using direct expressions such as 'takai' (高い - meaning "expensive") or 'nebiki' (値引き - meaning "discount") is was sometimes impolite in negotiations.