Translation and Meaning of: 売り場 - uriba

If you have ever entered a department store in Japan or even a convenience store, you have probably heard the word 売り場 (うりば - uriba) being used. This expression is essential for anyone who wants to understand how the Japanese refer to sales spaces, whether it’s a specific counter or even an entire floor dedicated to products. But do you know where this term comes from? How is it used in everyday life? And why is it so prevalent in Japanese commercial vocabulary?

In this article, we will explore the etymology of 売り場, its pictogram, along with tips for memorization and even curiosities about how this word appears in real contexts. If you are studying Japanese, you will love discovering how this expression connects with other everyday words. And if you want to boost your studies, feel free to grab some ready-made sentences to include in your Anki or another spaced repetition system!

Origin and etymology of 売り場

The word 売り場 is composed of two kanji: 売 (うり - uri), which means "sale," and 場 (ば - ba), which refers to a "place" or "space." Together, they form the idea of a location where things are sold. What's interesting here is that the kanji 場 appears in various other everyday words, such as 会場 (kaijou - event venue) or 駐車場 (chuushajou - parking lot), showcasing how versatile it is for indicating physical spaces.

The term emerged during the Edo period (1603-1868), when trade began to become more structured in Japan. Fixed shops and markets started to use the expression to differentiate areas for selling stocks or administrative spaces. Today, you can find 売り場 everywhere: from the candy section in a supermarket to the ticket counter at a train station.

How 売り場 is used in Japan today

If you have ever been to a department store like Isetan or Mitsukoshi, you must have seen signs indicating 婦人服売り場 (fujinfuku uriba) for the women's clothing section or 食品売り場 (shokuhin uriba) for the food area. These divisions are so common that even small children already associate the term with places where you buy something. In convenience stores, the checkout counter is often called レジ売り場 (reji uriba), mixing the foreign word "register" with Japanese.

An interesting fact is that, in some traditional establishments, such as open-air markets or fish markets, the term お売り場 (o-uriba) is still used with the honorific prefix "o". This shows respect both for the space and for the customers. In modern shopping malls, however, it is more common to see the word alone or combined with terms in katakana, such as ギフト売り場 (gifuto uriba) for the gift section.

Tips for memorizing and using 売り場

An easy way to remember this word is to note that the kanji 売 appears in other terms related to sales, such as 売買 (baibai - buy and sell) or 販売 (hanbai - commercial sale). As mentioned earlier, the kanji 場 is that "place" where things happen. A mental association that works well is to imagine the "BA" of 場 as the "BA" of "counter" in Portuguese.

If you want to practice, try creating sentences like: "あの売り場で切符を買いました" (I bought the ticket at that counter). Another tip is to pay attention when visiting Japanese stores or watching vlogs from Tokyo - you'll be surprised how 売り場 appears all the time! So, are you ready to identify the different 売り場 the next time you're in a Japanese shopping mall?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 販売場 (Hanbai-ba) - Place of sale
• 店頭 (Tentō) - Front of the store
• ショップ (Shoppu) - Store or commercial establishment
• 販売スペース (Hanbai supēsu) - Sales space

売り場

Romaji: uriba
Kana: うりば
Type: Noun
L: jlpt-n4

Translation / Meaning: place where things are sold; sales floor; counter (in store)

Meaning in English: place where things are sold;salesfloor;counter (in shop)

Definition: Space to showcase and sell products.

Example Sentences - (売り場) uriba

See below some example sentences:

売り場にはたくさんの商品があります。

Uriba ni wa takusan no shouhin ga arimasu

In the store

There are many products on the sales floor.

• 売り場 (Uriba) - means "sales area" or "store."
• に (ni) - it is a particle that indicates the location of something, in this case, "in the sales area."
• は (wa) - it is a particle that marks the topic of the sentence, in this case, "in the sales area."
• たくさん (takusan) - means "many" or "a lot".
• の (no) - it is a particle that indicates possession or belonging, in this case, "many products".
• 商品 (shouhin) - means "products" or "goods".
• が (ga) - it is a particle that marks the subject of the sentence, in this case, "the products".
• あります (arimasu) - is a verb that means "to exist" or "to be present", in this case, "there are many products in the sales area".