N2 · 40 words

Business e-mails and letters

The words and fixed phrases of e-mails, letters and documents at work.

A Japanese business e-mail has a frame as fixed as a letter’s: an opening line before anything is said, then the matter itself, then a closing request. お世話(せわ)になっております opens most messages to people outside the company, and よろしくお願(ねが)いいたします closes them. Leaving the frame out does not read as efficient; it reads as curt. Many of the words come from paper letters — 拝啓(はいけい), 敬具(けいぐ), 御中(おんちゅう) — and are still used on formal documents.

The words

Noun (31)

件名(けんめい)subject lineNounN2

件名(けんめい)は、内容(ないよう)がすぐに分(わ)かるように書(か)きましょう。Write the subject line so that the content is clear at once.

本文(ほんぶん)body (of a text)NounN2

本文(ほんぶん)は短(みじか)くして、要点(ようてん)だけをまとめた。I kept the body short and summarised only the key points.

文面(ぶんめん)wording; what a message saysNounN2

丁寧(ていねい)な文面(ぶんめん)でも、相手(あいて)に冷(つめ)たく感(かん)じられることがある。Even politely worded messages can come across as cold.

宛先(あてさき)address; recipientNounN2

送信(そうしん)する前(まえ)に、宛先(あてさき)が正(ただ)しいか確(たし)かめてください。Before sending, check that the address is correct.

差出人(さしだしにん)senderNounN2

差出人(さしだしにん)に心当(こころあ)たりのないメールは開(ひら)かないでください。Do not open e-mails from senders you do not recognise.

添付(てんぷ)attachment; attachingNounN2

会議(かいぎ)の資料(しりょう)を添付(てんぷ)いたします。I attach the documents for the meeting.

Also a verb: 添付(てんぷ)する. An attached file is a 添付(てんぷ)ファイル.

送信(そうしん)sending; transmissionNounN2

書(か)き終(お)わったメールを送信(そうしん)した。I sent the e-mail I had finished writing.

Also a verb: 送信(そうしん)する.

受信(じゅしん)receiving; receptionNounN2

昨夜(さくや)受信(じゅしん)したメールに、まだ返信(へんしん)していない。I still have not replied to an e-mail I received last night.

Also a verb: 受信(じゅしん)する.

返信(へんしん)replyNounN3

ご返信(へんしん)をお待(ま)ちしております。I look forward to your reply.

Also a verb: 返信(へんしん)する.

転送(てんそう)forwardingNounN2

取引先(とりひきさき)から届(とど)いたメールを、部長(ぶちょう)に転送(てんそう)した。I forwarded the e-mail from the client to the department head.

Also a verb: 転送(てんそう)する.

下書(したが)きdraftNounN3

送(おく)る前(まえ)に、下書(したが)きを先輩(せんぱい)に見(み)てもらった。Before sending it, I had a senior colleague look over my draft.

送付(そうふ)sending (documents)NounN2

契約書(けいやくしょ)を郵送(ゆうそう)にて送付(そうふ)いたします。We are sending you the contract by post.

Also a verb: 送付(そうふ)する. For documents and goods, by post or as an attachment; the e-mail itself is 送信(そうしん).

追伸(ついしん)postscript; P.S.NounN2

追伸(ついしん)として、来月(らいげつ)の予定(よてい)を書(か)き添(そ)えた。I added next month’s schedule as a postscript.

各位(かくい)to all concerned; everyoneNounN2

関係者(かんけいしゃ)各位(かくい)にお知(し)らせいたします。We wish to inform all concerned.

After a group: 社員(しゃいん)各位(かくい), to all staff.

件(けん)matter; caseNounN2

先日(せんじつ)お話(はな)しした件(けん)について、ご相談(そうだん)があります。I would like to consult you about the matter we discussed the other day.

〜の件(けん) is how a subject line names its topic.

本件(ほんけん)this matterNounN2

本件(ほんけん)に関(かん)するお問(と)い合(あ)わせは、下記(かき)までお願(ねが)いします。Please direct enquiries about this matter to the contact below.

用件(ようけん)business; what one has come aboutNounN3

ご用件(ようけん)を伺(うかが)ってもよろしいでしょうか。May I ask what this is regarding?

下記(かき)the following; belowNounN2

詳細(しょうさい)は下記(かき)のとおりです。The details are as follows.

上記(じょうき)the aboveNounN2

上記(じょうき)の日程(にってい)でご都合(つごう)はいかがでしょうか。Would the dates above suit you?

お手数(てすう)trouble; bother (caused to someone)NounN2

お手数(てすう)をおかけしますが、書類(しょるい)をご返送(へんそう)ください。Sorry to trouble you, but please return the forms.

Always about the other person’s trouble: お手数(てすう)をおかけします.

ご査収(さしゅう)receiving and checking (honorific)NounN2

見積書(みつもりしょ)を添付(てんぷ)いたしましたので、ご査収(さしゅう)ください。Please find the quotation attached.

Mostly in ご査収(さしゅう)ください, after sending something.

拝受(はいじゅ)receipt (humble)NounN2

お送(おく)りいただいた資料(しりょう)、確(たし)かに拝受(はいじゅ)いたしました。I have duly received the documents you sent.

了承(りょうしょう)acknowledgement; consentNounN2

当日(とうじつ)の変更(へんこう)はできませんので、ご了承(りょうしょう)ください。Please note that changes cannot be made on the day.

ご了承(りょうしょう)ください asks the reader to accept something they cannot change.

ご容赦(ようしゃ)pardon; forbearance (honorific)NounN2

ご不便(ふべん)をおかけしますが、ご容赦(ようしゃ)ください。We apologise for the inconvenience and ask for your understanding.

行(い)き違(ちが)いcrossing (of messages); misunderstandingNounN2

メールが行(い)き違(ちが)いになったようで、失礼(しつれい)しました。It seems our e-mails crossed; my apologies.

Adverb (4)

別途(べっと)separatelyAdverbN2

交通費(こうつうひ)は別途(べっと)お支払(しはら)いいたします。Travel expenses will be paid separately.

取(と)り急(いそ)ぎin haste; for nowAdverbN2

取(と)り急(いそ)ぎ、ご報告(ほうこく)まで。Just a quick report for now.

Marks a short message that a fuller one will follow; not for formal requests.

引(ひ)き続(つづ)きcontinuing; stillAdverbN2

引(ひ)き続(つづ)き、よろしくお願(ねが)いいたします。I look forward to continuing to work with you.

何卒(なにとぞ)kindly; please (very formal)AdverbN2

何卒(なにとぞ)よろしくお願(ねが)い申(もう)し上(あ)げます。I humbly ask for your kind consideration.

Written and ceremonial; strengthens a request.

Phrase (4)

拝啓(はいけい)Dear … (opening of a formal letter)PhraseN2

手紙(てがみ)を「拝啓(はいけい)」で始(はじ)めたら、「敬具(けいぐ)」で結(むす)ぶ。A letter that opens with “haikei” closes with “keigu”.

Letters only; e-mails do without it.

敬具(けいぐ)Yours sincerely (closing of a formal letter)PhraseN2

最後(さいご)に「敬具(けいぐ)」と書(か)いて、手紙(てがみ)を封筒(ふうとう)に入(い)れた。I wrote “keigu” at the end and put the letter in the envelope.

お世話(せわ)になっておりますthank you for your continued support (opening line)PhraseN3

いつもお世話(せわ)になっております。山田(やまだ)商事(しょうじ)の鈴木(すずき)です。Thank you as always for your support. This is Suzuki from Yamada Trading.

Opens a message to someone outside the company; rarely used inside it.

ご確認(かくにん)くださいplease checkPhraseN3

会議(かいぎ)の日時(にちじ)をご確認(かくにん)ください。Please check the date and time of the meeting.

Softer: ご確認(かくにん)いただけますでしょうか.

Suffix (1)

御中(おんちゅう)to (an organisation, after its name)SuffixN2

会社(かいしゃ)や部署(ぶしょ)に送(おく)る郵便物(ゆうびんぶつ)には、名前(なまえ)の後(あと)に「御中(おんちゅう)」と書(か)く。On post sent to a company or a department, you write “onchuu” after the name.

For an organisation; for a person, 様(さま). Never both.

This list belongs to Work and jobs — nine lists and 356 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.