Business card - meishi

A small piece of paper on which is written the name, address, occupation, status, etc. It is used in social situations, especially when introducing someone for the first time.

In China during the Han dynasty, cards carved from wood or bamboo with a person's name written on them were called sashi, and there was a custom of handing them over to people of high status when passing on a message to them. Records show that they were used in Europe in the mid-16th century, but they were not widely used until the end of the 18th century. In the mid-19th century, a patent for business cards with photographs had already been obtained in France. In Japan, business cards made of washi paper with a person's name written on them were used in the early 19th century (Kaei period), to inform the person of a visit when they were not at home.

Business cards are broadly divided into social visiting cards and professional business cards. Social visiting cards are used in social situations, such as expressing condolences, notifying someone of a move, inviting them to a meal, and introducing them at a party. Generally, the name is placed in the center without a title, and the home address and phone number are written in the bottom left. If the card is written horizontally, the cards are placed in the center or bottom right of the bottom edge. Professional business cards are used in professional situations, and the title and name are placed in the center, the company or affiliation is placed to the right, and the company's address, phone number, fax number, email address, and other contact information are placed on the left. If the card is written horizontally, the company is placed in the top left, and the contact information is placed in the bottom right. In Japan, it has become common to use professional business cards for social visiting cards, and this custom has fallen into disuse. Foreign diplomats and others have a custom of folding a corner of the card when the recipient is not present to indicate that they are visiting. In this case, it is common to fold the corner inward (toward the person who starts writing), and if the card is written horizontally, the top left is folded. This kind of custom has not taken root in Japan, so there is no need to force ourselves to imitate it.

When handling business cards, the basic etiquette is for the visitor to present their card first with both hands to show respect. The most formal way is to hold it in both hands so that you can read it, then turn it twice, 90 degrees each, in front of the other person, and rotate it clockwise so that the other person can read it before handing it over. In modern business etiquette, both parties often present and exchange business cards at the same time. In this case, you would receive the other person's business card with your left hand and present your own with your right hand.

[Naoto Shibasaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

氏名、住所、職業、身分等を記した小型の紙。社交においてとくに初対面の紹介時に用いる。

　漢代の中国では木や竹を削って姓名を記したものを刺とよび、地位のある相手への取次ぎに際して渡す風習があった。ヨーロッパにおいては16世紀なかばに使用されたとの記録がみられるが、一般に広く用いられるのは18世紀末以降である。19世紀中ごろにはすでにフランスで写真入りの名刺の特許がとられている。日本では19世紀初期（化政期）には氏名を記した和紙の名刺が用いられており、訪問先が不在のときに訪問の事実を伝えるために用いた。

　名刺は社交用のvisiting cardと職業用のbusiness cardに大別される。社交用名刺は弔意の表明、転居の通知、食事の招待、パーティーでの紹介など社交生活上で用いられるもので、一般には肩書きを書かずに氏名を中央に置き、自宅の住所と電話番号を左下に記す。横書きの場合には下辺中央もしくは右下となる。職業用名刺は職務上で用いられるもので、中央に肩書きと氏名、その右側に会社等所属先、左側に所属先の住所、電話番号、ファクシミリ番号、メールアドレス等の連絡先を記す。横書きの場合には所属先が左上、連絡先が右下となる。日本では、社交用名刺は職業用名刺を流用することが一般的となって廃れた。外国の外交官などの間では訪問時に相手が不在の場合に名刺の角を折ることで本人自身の来訪を示す習慣がある。その場合は文字を書き始める方向にある角を内側（手前側）に折るのが一般的で、横書きの場合には左上を折る。日本にはこのような習慣は根づいておらず、無理にまねる必要はない。

　名刺を扱う際の心得として、敬意を伝えるために目下（来訪者）から先に両手で差し出す作法が基本である。ごく正式にはまず自分が読めるように両手で持ち、相手の目前で90度ずつ二度に分け、時計回しに相手が読める向きに直して渡す。現代のビジネスマナーでは、双方が同時に名刺を差し出して交換することが多い。この場合には、左手で相手の名刺を受けつつ右手で自分の名刺を差し出すことになる。

［柴崎直人］

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