A share (also called “stock”) is a single unit of ownership in a company. Companies divide their total ownership into millions or crores of equal shares, so that ownership can be sold to the public in small, affordable pieces instead of requiring one buyer for the whole business.
“Shares” vs “Stock” — Is There a Difference?
In everyday Indian usage, no — the terms are used interchangeably. Technically, “stock” can refer to a company’s shares in general, while a “share” is one individual unit of that stock, but in practice you’ll see both words used for the exact same thing.
Example
If a company has issued 10,00,00,000 (10 crore) total shares, and you own 100 of them, you own 0.00001% of that company — small, but real and legally recognized ownership, including a proportional claim on the company’s profits (if it chooses to distribute them as dividends) and, in most cases, voting rights on major company decisions.
Related Reading
Read the full explanation with a step-by-step example in What Is the Stock Market? A Complete Beginner’s Guide.