問屋

Japanese

Kanji in this term
問	屋
とい Grade: 3	や Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Etymology 1

/tohiya/: [topiya] > [toɸiya] > [towiya] > [toiya]. The adverbial of 問ふ (tohu, “ask”) /tohi/ and 屋 (ya, “store”).

Noun

問(とい)屋(や) • (toiya) ^{←とひや (tofya)?}

1. [1465] a trader who arranged cargo transportation and shipping, including the chartering of ships and provision of lodging

   Synonym: 問丸 (toimaru)

   • 1597: Ekirin Setsuyōshū (page 39)

     問屋 (トヒヤ) 商人宿

2. (historical) an office at a 宿駅 (shukueki, “post station”) for that dealt with the relaying of people and horses between stations

   Synonym: 問屋場 (toiyaba)

3. a wholesaler
4. a wholesalers

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
問	屋
とん Grade: 3	や Grade: 3
kun'yomi

From toiya.

Noun

問(とん)屋(や) • (ton'ya) 

1. a wholesaler
2. a wholesalers
3. someone wholly responsible for a particular matter

References

• Fukkoku Nihon Koten Zenshū: Setsuyōshū, Tōkyō: Gendai Shichō Shinsha, 2006 [1597], →ISBN