Factories, production and the way goods are made and moved.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Industry vocabulary is built from a handful of kanji that combine freely: 製 (make), 産 (produce), 工 (craft, work) and 品 (goods). Once those four are known, 製品, 製造業, 生産 and 不良品 almost read themselves. One reading to watch: a factory is 工場, but the small family workshop is a 町工場, with the older reading こうば.
The words
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Noun (39)
産業industryNounN2
この町を支える産業は観光だ。The industry that keeps this town going is tourism.
Any branch of the economy, including services.
工業manufacturing industryNounN2
この地域は昔から工業が盛んだ。Manufacturing has long thrived in this region.
Industry that makes things in factories; narrower than 産業.
重工業heavy industryNounN2
港の近くには重工業の工場が並んでいる。Heavy-industry plants line the area near the port.
製造業manufacturing (sector)NounN2
製造業では若い働き手が不足している。Manufacturing is short of young workers.
工業団地industrial estateNounN2
郊外の工業団地に新しい工場が建った。A new factory has gone up on the industrial estate on the edge of town.
工場factory; plantNounN3
工場見学で、車ができるまでの流れを見た。On a factory tour, we saw each stage of making a car.
町工場small workshop; small local factoryNounN2
町工場の高い技術が、大企業の製品を支えている。The skills of small workshops underpin the products of large companies.
製造manufacture; productionNounN2
この薬は国内で製造されている。This medicine is made in this country.
Also a verb: 製造する.
生産production; outputNounN2
新しい機械を入れて、生産が倍になった。Output doubled after new machinery was brought in.
Also a verb: 生産する. Used of farms as well as factories.
量産mass productionNounN2
試作品の評価が良かったので、量産に入ることになった。The prototype was well received, so it was decided to start mass production.
Also a verb: 量産する.
生産性productivityNounN2
作業の手順を見直して、生産性を上げた。We raised productivity by reviewing our work procedures.
製品product; manufactured goodsNounN3
当社の製品は海外でも販売されている。Our products are also sold abroad.
A product as made; the same thing offered for sale is a 商品.
品質qualityNounN2
値段よりも品質を重視する客が多い。Many customers care more about quality than price.
原料raw materialNounN2
この化粧品は植物を原料にしている。This cosmetic is made from plants.
What a product is made from; 材料 is the everyday word, also for cooking.
素材materialNounN2
軽くて丈夫な新しい素材が開発された。A new material that is both light and strong has been developed.
受注receiving an orderNounN2
海外から大型の船を受注した。We received an order from abroad for a large ship.
Also a verb: 受注する.
発注placing an orderNounN2
足りない部品を取引先に発注した。We ordered the missing parts from a supplier.
The buyer places the order (発注); the maker receives it (受注).
試作trial manufacture; prototypingNounN2
新しいロボットの試作に成功した。We succeeded in building a prototype of the new robot.
A prototype is a 試作品.
組み立てassemblyNounN2
この家具は組み立てに一時間ほどかかる。This furniture takes about an hour to assemble.
The verb is 組み立てる.
工程process; stage of productionNounN2
すべての工程を機械で行う工場もある。Some factories carry out every stage by machine.
自動化automationNounN2
倉庫の作業の自動化が進んでいる。Warehouse work is becoming more and more automated.
省力化labour savingNounN2
ロボットを導入して、作業の省力化を進めている。We are bringing in robots to make the work less labour-intensive.
稼働operation; running (of machines or plants)NounN2
新しい工場は来春から稼働する予定だ。The new factory is due to start operating next spring.
Also a verb: 稼働する.
操業operation (of a factory)NounN2
停電のため、工場は操業を一時停止した。Because of the power cut, the factory temporarily stopped operations.
物流logistics; physical distributionNounN2
ネット通販が広がり、物流の現場は忙しくなった。With the spread of online shopping, logistics work has become busier.
輸送transport; shippingNounN2
製品は主に船で輸送される。The products are mainly transported by ship.
Also a verb: 輸送する. Transport as an operation, of freight or of passengers in bulk — not your own journey.
検品inspection (of goods)NounN2
出荷の前に、すべての商品を検品する。Every item is inspected before it is shipped.
Also a verb: 検品する.
不良品defective productNounN2
不良品が見つかったため、商品を回収した。A defective item was found, so the goods were recalled.
規格standard; specificationNounN2
この部品は国際規格に合わせて作られている。This part is made to an international standard.
人件費labour costs; personnel costsNounN2
人件費を抑えるため、海外に工場を移す企業もある。Some companies move factories abroad to keep labour costs down.
労働力workforce; labourNounN2
工場の自動化は、労働力の不足を補うためでもある。Automating factories is also a way of making up for the shortage of labour.
下請けsubcontracting; subcontractorNounN2
大手企業の仕事の多くを下請けの会社が担っている。Much of the work for big companies is done by subcontractors.
委託entrusting; outsourcingNounN2
製造を海外の会社に委託している。Production is contracted out to a company abroad.
Also a verb: 委託する.
拠点base; hubNounN2
同社はアジアの各地に生産拠点を持っている。The company has production bases across Asia.
熟練skill; expertiseNounN2
熟練した職人でなければ、この作業はできない。Only a skilled craftsman can do this work.
Mostly as 熟練した before a noun: skilled, experienced.
鉄鋼steel; iron and steelNounN2
鉄鋼は自動車や建物に欠かせない。Steel is indispensable for cars and buildings.
半導体semiconductorNounN2
半導体が不足し、車の生産が遅れた。A shortage of semiconductors held up car production.
繊維fibre; textilesNounN2
この町はかつて繊維産業で栄えた。This town once prospered on the textile industry.
Also dietary fibre: 食物繊維.
業界industry; business world (of one trade)NounN2
業界全体で安全の基準を見直した。The whole industry reviewed its safety standards.
One trade and the companies in it: 自動車業界.
na-adjective (1)
精密precise; precisionna-adjectiveN2
この工場では時計の精密な部品を作っている。This factory makes precision parts for watches.
