Which is the difference of meaning beetween 業 and 行?


I was looking at the [20 precepts of
karate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nij%C5%AB_kun) and I really like this
one:

> 空手の修業は一生である

The translation should be something like:

> Karate is a lifelong pursuit.

Looking for it on google.co.jp I've been suggested for:

> 空手の修行は一生である

Which is the difference between the two kanji? Is the meaning correct (and the
same)?

PS:  
Sorry but I don't have any knowledge of the language, not sure about the tags
or if the question is even "correct"!




修行 is primarily used for (endless/lifelong) **religious** discipline; it's
something Buddhist monks or priests do every day. Note that this kanji 行 (
_gyō_ ) on its own means 'religious training/discipline/practice', as in 行者 (
_gyōja_ , person who does 修行, especially that of
[修験道](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shugend%C5%8D)),
[滝行](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%BB%9D%E8%A1%8C) ( _takigyō_ , waterfall
meditation), 苦行 ( _kugyō_ , hard discipline), etc. You can also use 修行 with
various kinds of Japanese traditional martial arts, such as _judo_ or _karate_
, where similar mental discipline is important.

修業 ( _shugyō_ ) is more secular and refers to '(professional) training' in
general. 訓練 ( _kunren_ ) is the formal and normal word for this, but 修業 is
also used in casual settings. 修業 is usually used for something one can
eventually master. 修業 is something you do when you want to become a chef,
physician, pilot, lawyer, and so on. One interesting phrase is 花嫁修業 (
_hanayome shugyō_ , "bridal training"), which refers to learning
cooking/housekeeping/etc before getting married.

That said, I think many people are not very strict on this difference, and use
these words interchangeably. In your example, 空手の修業 and 空手の修行 are both
natural, but 空手の修行 looks a bit nicer to me, especially when it refers to the
lifelong discipline.

By the way 修業 has another reading, しゅうぎょう ( _sh **ū** gyō_). If 修業 is read
this way, it mainly means 'to finish [a course at school]'.

Reference (in Japanese):

  * [修行](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BF%AE%E8%A1%8C) in Wikipedia
  * [意外と間違う、｢修行｣と｢修業｣の使い分け](http://ameblo.jp/kijisakusei/entry-11058644430.html)




修行 is primarily used for (endless/lifelong) **religious** discipline; it's
something Buddhist monks or priests do every day. Note that this kanji 行 (
_gyō_ ) on its own means 'religious training/discipline/practice', as in 行者 (
_gyōja_ , person who does 修行, especially that of
[修験道](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shugend%C5%8D)),
[滝行](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%BB%9D%E8%A1%8C) ( _takigyō_ , waterfall
meditation), 苦行 ( _kugyō_ , hard discipline), etc. You can also use 修行 with
various kinds of Japanese traditional martial arts, such as _judo_ or _karate_
, where similar mental discipline is important.

修業 ( _shugyō_ ) is more secular and refers to '(professional) training' in
general. 訓練 ( _kunren_ ) is the formal and normal word for this, but 修業 is
also used in casual settings. 修業 is usually used for something one can
eventually master. 修業 is something you do when you want to become a chef,
physician, pilot, lawyer, and so on. One interesting phrase is 花嫁修業 (
_hanayome shugyō_ , "bridal training"), which refers to learning
cooking/housekeeping/etc before getting married.

That said, I think many people are not very strict on this difference, and use
these words interchangeably. In your example, 空手の修業 and 空手の修行 are both
natural, but 空手の修行 looks a bit nicer to me, especially when it refers to the
lifelong discipline.

By the way 修業 has another reading, しゅうぎょう ( _sh **ū** gyō_). If 修業 is read
this way, it mainly means 'to finish [a course at school]'.

Reference (in Japanese):

  * [修行](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BF%AE%E8%A1%8C) in Wikipedia
  * [意外と間違う、｢修行｣と｢修業｣の使い分け](http://ameblo.jp/kijisakusei/entry-11058644430.html)

