法人（ほうじん、houjin）
- corporation

The Japanese word 法人 法人, pronounced ほうじん, generally translates to "corporate entity," "legal person," or "juridical person" in English. It refers to an organization or group that is recognized by law as having the same rights and responsibilities as a natural person (an individual). This means that a 法人 can own property, enter into contracts, sue and be sued, and engage in other legal activities. 法人 are distinct from their members or owners. There are various types of 法人 in Japan, including corporations (株式会社 – かぶしきがいしゃ), limited liability companies (合同会社 – ごうどうがいしゃ), and non-profit organizations (NPOs) (特定非営利活動法人 – とくていひえいりかつどうほうじん).

⚫︎株式会社は日本の代表的な法人です。 Translation: A corporation is a typical type of 法人 in Japan. ⚫︎その病院は医療法人です。 Translation: That hospital is a medical corporation. ⚫︎NPO法人は社会貢献活動を行っています。 Translation: NPO corporations engage in social contribution activities.

This word is used in formal contexts, such as in business, law, and government. You would use 法人 when discussing legal entities, company structures, or organizations that have a legal standing. It is less common in casual conversation. You might encounter it in news articles, legal documents, or business reports.

The word is typically written using the kanji 法人. The reading is ほうじん, using hiragana. There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ 企業 (きぎょう) - enterprise, business ⚫︎ 組織 (そしき) - organization ⚫︎ 団体 (だんたい) - organization, group

The direct antonym isn't a single word, as 法人 describes a legal structure. The opposite would be "individual" or "sole proprietor", which in Japanese would be expressed by referring to a person 個人 (こじん).

この会社は新しい法人税の対象となりました。 ・Translation: This company has become subject to the new corporate tax. ・Explanation: This sentence discusses how a specific entity, in this case a company, is affected by corporate taxation.

彼女は法人向けのコンサルタントをしています。 ・Translation: She is a consultant for corporations. ・Explanation: This sentence shows the use of 法人 in a professional setting, referring to the type of clients the consultant serves.

The word 法人 is a combination of two kanji: 法 (ほう), meaning "law" or "legal," and 人 (じん), meaning "person." Therefore, 法人 literally means "legal person" or "person of law," reflecting its definition as an entity recognized by law.