The kanji 業 generally conveys the idea of "work," "business," "act," "deed," or "karma." It often implies a completed action or a result arising from an action. It can encompass both physical actions and mental or spiritual states, and frequently carries connotations of consequence or outcome. It suggests a process or activity with its associated effects.

・On-yomi (音読み): ぎょう (gyou), ごう (gou) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): わざ (waza)

⚫︎仕事 (shigoto) Translation: Work, job ⚫︎卒業 (sotsugyou) Translation: Graduation ⚫︎因果応報 (ingajouhou) Translation: Cause and effect; karma

The kanji 業 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound character. The left side is a radical related to "tree", and the right side is the component 業 (gyou). The origin of 業 can be traced back to the combination of these elements, likely representing the completion of a task or undertaking. The left side (木) suggests the foundation or source, and the right side (業) provides the phonetic component. Over time, the meaning of 業 expanded to encompass a wider range of activities and actions, including those with ethical and spiritual implications.