Meaning and Usage
The suffix ～営 (えい) is used to indicate the act of running or managing a business or activity. It is often attached to nouns representing types of businesses or activities, such as 飲食店 (restaurant) or 農業 (agriculture).
Common Collocations
- 飲食店を営む: to run a restaurant
- 農業を営む: to engage in farming
- 会社を営む: to operate a company
This suffix is formal and commonly used in written Japanese, especially in business contexts. It implies active management or operation rather than casual involvement.
Usage Notes
When using ～営, the verb form is usually 営む (いとなむ), which means "to run" or "to manage." The suffix ～営 itself is not used alone but as part of compound nouns or verbs. Learners should not confuse ～営 with similar-sounding words or suffixes.
Register and Politeness
The expression is neutral to formal and is appropriate in business or formal writing. It is less common in casual spoken Japanese, where simpler verbs like やる or する might be used instead.