営業中

営業(えいぎょう) (eigyō, “sales”) + 中(ちゅう) (chū, “in the process of”).

• IPA^(key): [e̞ːɡʲo̞ːt͡ɕɨː]

営(えい)業(ぎょう)中(ちゅう) • (eigyōchū) 

1. open (a store, shop, or restaurant)

This is often printed on signs hanging at the entrance of a shop or restaurant and is shown when the store is open. The reverse says 準備中(じゅんびちゅう) (junbichū). These signs are the Japanese equivalent of the English signs saying (Come in, we're) open and (Sorry, we're) closed.

This word is much more common than its synonym 商(あきな)い中(ちゅう) (akinaichū), used for the same purpose.

• 商(あきな)い中(ちゅう) (akinaichū)

• 準備中(じゅんびちゅう) (junbichū)