Translation and Meaning of: 売り切れ - urikire

Have you ever entered a Japanese store or website and come across the notice 売り切れ (うりきれ)? This word, which means "sold out" or "out of stock", is a common term in everyday life in Japan, especially in commercial contexts. In this article, we will explore the etymology, practical usage, and even curiosities about how this kanji appears in daily situations. If you are studying Japanese, understanding 売り切れ goes beyond translation — it’s about grasping the culture behind empty shelves and "out of stock" announcements. Here at Suki Nihongo, you can also find examples of ready-made sentences to add to Anki and boost your vocabulary.

The origin and construction of the kanji 売り切れ

The term 売り切れ is made up of two kanji: 売 (うり), which means "sale", and 切れ (きれ), derived from the verb 切れる (きれる), "to cut" or "to run out". Together, they create the idea of something that has been sold out — literally, "cut in sales". Interestingly, the kanji 切 appears in other words related to exhaustion, such as 時間切れ (じかんぎれ, "time expired"), showing how the Japanese language uses radicals to construct logical meanings.

A common trick is to confuse 売り切れ with 完売 (かんばい), which also means "sold out." The difference? While 完売 has a more formal tone (used in reports or news), 売り切れ is what you see on store signs or e-commerce sites. Want a real example? At the Tsukiji fish market, sellers would shout "売り切れました！" when the day's tuna was gone — a scene that became memorable for many tourists.

How and when to use 売り切れ in daily life

In Japan, 売り切れ signs are as common as queues at train stations. They appear in convenience stores (when the morning bentō runs out), on websites like Amazon Japan, and even in vending machines. A practical tip: if you see 売り切れ中 (うりきれちゅう), it means the product is temporarily out of stock — but it may return to inventory. On the other hand, 売り切れ御免 (うりきれごめん) is a more casual expression, almost like a "sorry for running out," common in small shops.

For those who work in customer service, phrases like "あいにく売り切れです" (unfortunately, it's sold out) are useful for communicating the situation without frustrating the customer. There's an interesting cultural detail: the Japanese often respond to 売り切れ with a resigned "しょうがない" ("there's no helping it"), reflecting the acceptance of limits that is part of their society. In the world of games, it's common to see "DLC売り切れ" when digital content is removed from the platform — a true nightmare for collectors!

Tips to memorize and not forget 売り切れ

An infallible technique for remembering 売り切れ is to associate the kanji 切 with situations of "end." Think about how scissors (ハサミ) cut something in half — just like the stock that "cuts off" when it runs out. Another trick is to create flashcards with images of empty shelves or advertisements from real Japanese stores. I myself, when I started studying, used to stick post-its with 売り切れ on the refrigerator door every time the milk ran out. It worked so well that today the word comes to mind automatically!

If you're a fan of games, try changing the language of your favorite e-commerce site to Japanese. Seeing 売り切れ instead of "out of stock" helps to internalize the term naturally. And be aware: in tests like the JLPT, this vocabulary can appear in questions about understanding public notices. Once, in N4, there was a question about a passenger reading a sign that said "切符売り切れ" (tickets sold out) — knowing this made a difference when answering.