What does 売 mean in Japanese?
売 means to sell in Japanese. It appears in 売る (uru, to sell) and in practical words you see while shopping, such as 売り場 (uriba, sales floor) and 売り切れ (urikire, sold out).
売 has two main readings. Read it as うる (uru) in the verb 売る, meaning ‘to sell,’ and as バイ (bai) in compounds such as 売買 (baibai, buying and selling) and 売店 (baiten, kiosk). Together with 買 (buy), it covers both sides of every transaction.
Reading
On’yomi: バイ (bai)
Kun’yomi: う-る (u-ru), う-れる (u-reru)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 売 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | sell, sale |
| Stroke Count | 7 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
売 focuses on the seller’s side of a transaction. 売る is the basic verb for selling something, while 売れる describes things that sell well on their own. Store vocabulary relies on 売 heavily: 売り場 marks where things are sold, 売り切れ tells you they are gone, and 安売り announces a bargain sale.
Common Words
- 売る（うる / uru） — to sell
- 売り場（うりば / uriba） — sales floor, department
- 売買（ばいばい / baibai） — buying and selling, trade
- 売店（ばいてん / baiten） — kiosk, stand
- 売り切れ（うりきれ / urikire） — sold out
- 安売り（やすうり / yasuuri） — bargain sale
Example Sentences
-
兄は車を売りました。
あにはくるまをうりました。 / Ani wa kuruma o urimashita.
My older brother sold his car.
-
このケーキはもう売り切れです。
このけーきはもううりきれです。 / Kono keeki wa mou urikire desu.
This cake is already sold out.
-
駅の売店で新聞を買いました。
えきのばいてんでしんぶんをかいました。 / Eki no baiten de shinbun o kaimashita.
I bought a newspaper at the station kiosk.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
You will meet 売 on signs before you ever use it in a sentence: 売り切れ (sold out) and 安売り (bargain sale) are everywhere in stores. Grammatically, note the pair 売る (to sell something) and 売れる (to be sold, to sell well); learners often mix them up. 売店 (baiten) is the small kiosk found in stations, hospitals, and theaters.
Summary
売 means to sell and pairs with 買 to cover both sides of a transaction, appearing in practical shopping words such as 売り場 and 売り切れ.