You are browsing a Japanese online store. You spot three different labels on the same product page: 新発売（しんはつばい）, 販売中（はんばいちゅう）, and 売り出し中（うりだしちゅう）. All three seem to mean something like “for sale” — but why are there three different expressions? Are they interchangeable? Is one more urgent than the others? And what happened to the plain old verb 売る（うる）?
This is one of those vocabulary clusters where English speakers hit a wall. In English, you can cover almost everything with the word “sell.” In Japanese, the verb you choose signals who is selling, whether it is a new product or an ongoing one, and whether you are announcing a launch or describing an active promotion. Getting these right is especially important for reading product announcements, EC pages, press releases, and business documents — and for understanding news headlines about game, film, or album releases.
This guide breaks down all four verbs — 売る（うる）, 販売する（はんばいする）, 発売する（はつばいする）, and 売り出す（うりだす） — with natural example sentences, key compound words, a side-by-side comparison table, a decision flowchart, and a quick quiz to lock in your understanding.
| Verb | Reading | Core meaning | Seller type | Time focus | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 売る | うる | To sell (basic, any context) | Anyone — individual or business | Ongoing / any point | Casual to neutral |
| 販売する | はんばいする | To sell commercially / retail | Business / organization | Ongoing continuous sales | Formal / business |
| 発売する | はつばいする | To release / launch a product | Manufacturer / publisher | Point-in-time: first launch | Formal / media |
| 売り出す | うりだす | To put on sale / start selling | Seller / retailer | Beginning of a sale or promotion | Neutral / advertising |
What Does 売る Mean?
売る as the basic everyday word for “sell”
売る（うる）is the fundamental Japanese verb for selling. It is an Group 1 (godan / u-verb) verb and the root from which many related expressions are built. Unlike 販売する or 発売する, 売る carries no restriction on who the seller is or what is being sold. A grandmother selling vegetables at a roadside stand, a teenager selling old games online, a department store selling luxury goods — all of them 売る.
If you need one verb to cover “sell” in any context, 売る is it. It is the word Japanese children learn first, and it is the one you will reach for most often in everyday conversation.
店で売る / ネットで売る / メルカリで売る
売る pairs naturally with location phrases to say where you are selling something.
Example 1 — selling at a shop:
この店では手作りクッキーを売っています。
Kono mise dewa tezukuri kukkii wo utte imasu.
This shop sells handmade cookies.
Example 2 — selling online:
ネットで古い本を売りました。
Netto de furui hon wo urimashita.
I sold old books online.
Example 3 — selling on Mercari:
メルカリで使わないものを売っています。
Merukari de tsukawanai mono wo utte imasu.
I’m selling things I don’t use on Mercari.
チケットを売る / 古着を売る
売る works with virtually any object — concert tickets, second-hand clothes, land, ideas, or even one’s own labor. The directness and simplicity of the verb make it the right choice whenever the context is personal, informal, or simply neutral.
Example 4 — selling tickets:
コンサートのチケットを友達に売った。
Konsaato no chiketto wo tomodachi ni utta.
I sold my concert ticket to a friend.
Example 5 — selling used clothes:
古着をリサイクルショップで売った。
Furugi wo risaikuru shoppu de utta.
I sold my old clothes at a secondhand shop.
売っています — currently selling
The te-form + います construction (売っています) is frequently used to state that something is currently available for purchase. You will see this on signage, menus, and casual shop announcements.
Example 6 — shop sign or announcement:
今なら特別セットを売っています。
Ima nara tokubetsu setto wo utte imasu.
We’re currently selling a special set right now.
売る vs 買う (quick contrast)
The opposite of 売る（うる, to sell）is 買う（かう, to buy）. These two verbs form the most basic buy/sell pair in Japanese. Notice that 売る is a Group 1 verb (the dictionary form ends in -u and conjugates with the -a/-i/-u row), while 買う is also Group 1. Both are essential N5 vocabulary.
Quick contrast:
このカメラを売りたい。 — I want to sell this camera.
このカメラを買いたい。 — I want to buy this camera.
What Does 販売する Mean?
販売する as commercial / business selling
販売する（はんばいする）moves the register firmly into the commercial and formal domain. The kanji 販（はん）carries the meaning of trading and distributing goods, and 売（ばい）reinforces selling. Together they form a compound that is most at home in business contexts: company websites, press releases, product manuals, legal documents, and formal customer service language.
The key distinction is that 販売する describes ongoing, systematic, commercial sales activity. It is not about a single act of selling — it is about the business of selling as a continuous operation. A company that sells a product line uses 販売する to describe what it does; a kid selling lemonade at a sidewalk stand uses 売る.
商品を販売する — selling products (business context)
Example 1 — product sales (business):
弊社（へいしゃ）では、全国（ぜんこく）の小売店（こうりてん）を通じて商品を販売しています。
Heisha dewa, zenkoku no kouritten wo tsuujite shouhin wo hanbai shite imasu.
Our company sells its products through retail stores across the country.
Example 2 — web store:
このサービスはオンラインでのみ販売しております。
Kono saabisu wa onrain demo nomi hanbai shite orimasu.
This service is sold online only. (formal / keigo)
販売店 / 販売員
販売する generates a family of useful compound nouns that you will encounter frequently in business and retail settings:
販売店（はんばいてん） — retailer / authorized dealer
販売員（はんばいいん） — sales staff / salesperson
販売部（はんばいぶ） — sales department
販売戦略（はんばいせんりゃく） — sales strategy
Example 3 — authorized dealer:
お近くの販売店でご購入（ごこうにゅう）いただけます。
Ochikaku no hanbaiten de go-kounyuu itadakemasu.
You can purchase it at your nearest authorized dealer.
販売中 — currently on sale / being sold
販売中（はんばいちゅう）literally means “in the middle of selling” — it is the standard label on a product page or catalog to indicate that an item is currently available for purchase. Think of it as “now available” or “currently for sale” in a commercial context. It does not mean the item is discounted (that would be セール中 or 特価中).
Example 4 — product listing:
この商品は現在（げんざい）販売中です。
Kono shouhin wa genzai hanbai-chuu desu.
This product is currently available for sale.
販売価格 — retail price
販売価格（はんばいかかく）is the official retail price — the price at which a product is sold to the consumer. You will see this term in product specifications, official documentation, and price comparison sites.
Example 5 — retail price notation:
販売価格：税込（ぜいこみ）3,980円（えん）
Hanbai kakaku: zeikomi 3,980 en
Retail price: 3,980 yen (tax included)
YukaSo 販売する is basically the “business version” of 売る? Like, you’d use it in official documents and websites but not when you’re just chatting with a friend?
ReiExactly right! If you said 「友達にゲームを販売した」to a friend, it would sound oddly stiff — like you were writing a press release about selling a game to your buddy. In casual conversation, 売った is the natural choice. Save 販売する for business writing, product pages, and formal reports.
What Does 発売する Mean?
発売する as product release / launch
発売する（はつばいする）is the verb for putting a brand-new product on the market for the very first time. The kanji 発（はつ）means “to dispatch” or “to start” — it carries the sense of something being sent out into the world. 売（ばい）is selling. Together they describe the moment a manufacturer or publisher releases something to the public.
The most important thing to understand about 発売する is its time-point focus. While 販売する describes a continuous state of commercial activity, 発売する focuses on a specific moment: the launch date, the announcement, the first day something becomes available. It is the verb of product launches, release announcements, and debut events.
新商品を発売する — launching a new product
Example 1 — product launch announcement:
来月（らいげつ）、新しいスマートフォンを発売します。
Raigetsu, atarashii sumaatoFon wo hatsubai shimasu.
We will be releasing a new smartphone next month.
Example 2 — music / album release:
バンドは来週（らいしゅう）、新アルバムを発売する予定（よてい）だ。
Bando wa raishuu, shin-arubamu wo hatsubai suru yotei da.
The band is scheduled to release their new album next week.
Example 3 — game release:
このゲームは昨年（さくねん）日本で発売されました。
Kono geemu wa sakunen Nihon de hatsubai saremashita.
This game was released in Japan last year.
発売日 — release date
発売日（はつばいび）is one of the most frequently searched Japanese vocabulary items for anyone following Japanese pop culture, gaming, or publishing. It means “release date” — the specific day a product officially goes on sale for the first time.
Example 4 — release date:
発売日は2026年（ねん）9月（がつ）1日（ついたち）です。
Hatsubai-bi wa 2026-nen 9-gatsu 1-nichi desu.
The release date is September 1, 2026.
新発売 — newly released / new on sale
新発売（しんはつばい）is a compound you will see constantly on product packaging and advertisements in Japan. It is a concise label meaning “new release” or “newly on sale.” It is not a verb — it functions as a noun or adjectival phrase used to flag that a product is brand new to the market.
Example 5 — product packaging / advertisement:
新発売！ 濃厚（のうこう）チーズケーキ味（あじ）のアイス。
Shin-hatsubai! Noukou chiizukeeki-aji no aisu.
New release! Rich cheesecake-flavored ice cream.
発売前 / 発売後
Because 発売する focuses on a specific point in time (the launch date), it naturally generates before/after expressions:
発売前（はつばいまえ） — before release / pre-launch
発売後（はつばいご） — after release / post-launch
Example 6 — pre-release:
発売前から予約（よやく）が殺到（さっとう）している。
Hatsubai-mae kara yoyaku ga sattou shite iru.
Pre-orders have been flooding in even before the release.
Example 7 — post-release:
発売後1週間（いっしゅうかん）で10万本（じゅうまんぼん）を販売した。
Hatsubai-go isshuukan de juuman-bon wo hanbai shita.
They sold 100,000 copies in the first week after release.
Notice how Example 7 uses both 発売（後） and 販売する in the same sentence — one for the launch event and the other for the ongoing commercial sales that followed.
発売延期 / 発売中止 / 発売決定
The time-point nature of 発売する makes it the natural choice for announcements about launch status changes:
発売延期（はつばいえんき） — release postponement
発売中止（はつばいちゅうし） — release cancellation
発売決定（はつばいけってい） — release confirmed
Example 8 — release postponement:
開発上の問題（もんだい）により、発売延期となりました。
Kaihatsu-jou no mondai ni yori, hatsubai-enki to narimashita.
Due to development issues, the release has been postponed.
Example 9 — release confirmed:
待望（たいぼう）の続編（ぞくへん）の発売が決定しました！
Taibou no zokuhen no hatsubai ga kettei shimashita!
The long-awaited sequel’s release has been officially confirmed!
What Does 売り出す Mean?
売り出す as start selling / put up for sale
売り出す（うりだす）is a compound verb formed from 売る（うる, to sell）and 出す（だす, to put out / to start）. The 出す component adds the nuance of “putting something out there” or “beginning an action.” Together, 売り出す means to start selling, to put something up for sale, or to actively promote something for sale.
While 発売する is used by manufacturers and publishers releasing new products to the market, 売り出す is typically used from the seller’s or promoter’s perspective — a retailer putting items on sale, a real estate agent listing a property, or an advertiser launching a campaign. It often carries a promotional flavor, emphasizing that something is being actively pushed out to buyers.
売り出し中 — now on sale / being promoted
売り出し中（うりだしちゅう）is a label you will see in supermarkets, real estate listings, and retail advertisements. Like 販売中, it means something is currently for sale — but 売り出し中 carries a stronger promotional tone. It implies the item is being actively advertised or pushed, not just passively listed.
Example 1 — real estate:
駅近（えきちか）の新築（しんちく）マンションが売り出し中です。
Eki-chika no shinchiku manshon ga uridashi-chuu desu.
A newly built apartment near the station is now on the market.
Example 2 — supermarket promotion:
今週は旬（しゅん）のいちごを売り出し中！
Konshuu wa shun no ichigo wo uridashi-chuu!
This week we’re actively promoting in-season strawberries!
売り出し価格 — sale / promotional price
売り出し価格（うりだしかかく）is the price at which something is being offered for sale — particularly in promotional or introductory pricing contexts. You will encounter this term in real estate, introductory product deals, and seasonal sale campaigns. It often implies a special or competitive price, not necessarily the standard retail price.
Example 3 — introductory price:
売り出し価格は98,000円です。
Uridashi kakaku wa 98,000-en desu.
The promotional sale price is 98,000 yen.
売り出しキャンペーン
売り出しキャンペーン（うりだしキャンペーン）refers to a launch promotion or sales campaign — an organized marketing push to get a product in front of buyers. This term appears in advertising copy, business plans, and marketing materials.
Example 4 — launch campaign:
新製品（しんせいひん）の売り出しキャンペーンを全国（ぜんこく）で展開（てんかい）する。
Shin-seihin no uridashi kyanpeen wo zenkoku de tenkai suru.
We will roll out a national launch campaign for the new product.
売る vs 売り出す — ongoing vs start
The key difference between 売る and 売り出す is aspect. 売る simply means “to sell” — it can describe any act of selling without implying a specific starting point. 売り出す, by contrast, always highlights the beginning of a selling action: the moment a seller starts putting something out for buyers. Think of 売り出す as “to launch into selling” rather than just “to sell.”
売る: ここでパンを売っている。 — They sell bread here. (ongoing, neutral fact)
売り出す: 新しいパンを売り出した。 — They’ve started selling a new kind of bread. (promotional beginning)
売る vs 販売する
Individual vs commercial seller
The core axis between 売る and 販売する is who is doing the selling and in what context. 売る is neutral — it applies to any seller in any situation. 販売する is restricted to commercial, organized selling by a business or institution.
個人が売る / メルカリで売る
When an individual sells their own possessions — second-hand items, personal artwork, extra produce from their garden — 売る is always the right choice. Using 販売する in these contexts sounds either comically corporate or simply unnatural.
❌ 私はメルカリで古本を販売しています。 (sounds like a business filing a report)
✅ 私はメルカリで古本を売っています。 (natural — I’m selling used books on Mercari)
企業が販売する / 店舗で販売する
When a company, store, or organization describes its sales activity in official communications, 販売する is the standard choice. Press releases, product documentation, company websites, and formal reports almost always use 販売する rather than 売る.
❌ 当社は新型ノートPCをお店で売ります。 (too casual for a press release)
✅ 当社（とうしゃ）は新型（しんがた）ノートPCを全国（ぜんこく）の販売店（はんばいてん）で販売します。 (natural business language)
Register and formality
Think of the register difference this way: if you would write it in an email to a customer or in a company brochure, reach for 販売する. If you would say it to a friend, use 売る. Neither is wrong in an absolute sense — but mismatching register creates a mismatch in tone that native speakers immediately notice.
Common mistakes
One of the most common mistakes learners make is using 販売する in casual conversation because it sounds “more correct” or “more specific.” It is not more correct — it just sounds stiff. Conversely, using 売る in a formal business context (like a press release) sounds too casual and can undermine the document’s professional tone.
販売する vs 発売する
Ongoing sales activity vs one-time launch event
This is the most important contrast for learners reading news and product pages. The difference comes down to time structure:
販売する describes a state or ongoing activity: the product is currently being sold, distributed through channels, available in stores.
発売する describes an event or point in time: the product is going on sale for the first time, the launch is happening, the release date has arrived.
| Feature | 販売する (hanbai suru) | 発売する (hatsubai suru) |
|---|---|---|
| Time structure | Ongoing / continuous state | Point in time / first launch |
| Who uses it | Retailers, distributors, businesses selling products | Manufacturers, publishers, developers launching products |
| Typical context | Product catalogs, business reports, distribution | Product announcements, trailers, pre-orders, news |
| Key compound | 販売中（currently for sale） | 発売日（release date） |
| Can modify same product? | Yes, after launch | Yes, at the moment of launch |
販売中 (currently for sale) vs 発売日 (the day it goes on sale)
These two compounds crystallize the difference perfectly. 販売中 asks: “Is it being sold right now?” — the answer is yes or no, describing a current state. 発売日 asks: “When does it first go on sale?” — this is a point on the calendar, the birth date of the product’s commercial life.
YukaWait, so a product can have a 発売日 first and then go into 販売中? Like, the 発売日 is the birthday and 販売中 means it’s alive and selling?
ReiThat’s a perfect way to think about it! The 発売日 is when the product enters the world — the launch event. After that, it becomes 販売中 — the continuous state of being available for purchase. They describe the same product at different stages of its commercial life.
新商品を発売する → 全国で販売する (timeline)
These two verbs often appear together in the same announcement, describing a product’s journey from launch to distribution:
Example — launch announcement + distribution:
弊社（へいしゃ）は来月（らいげつ）、新しい健康食品（けんこうしょくひん）を発売します。発売後は全国（ぜんこく）の薬局（やっきょく）で販売します。
Heisha wa raigetsu, atarashii kenkoo-shokuhin wo hatsubai shimasu. Hatsubai-go wa zenkoku no yakkyoku de hanbai shimasu.
Our company will release a new health food product next month. After the launch, we will sell it at pharmacies nationwide.
News and press release usage
In Japanese news articles and press releases, you will almost always see 発売する for the announcement of something new, and 販売する for the description of the subsequent commercial activity. If a news headline reads 「〇〇を発売」, it means the item has just been or is about to be released. If a report says 「〇〇を販売中」, it means the item is currently available on the market.
発売する vs 売り出す
New product launch vs start of a sale / promotion
Both 発売する and 売り出す describe the beginning of selling activity — but they come from different perspectives and carry different nuances.
発売 = manufacturer / publisher releasing to the market
発売する is almost always used by or about the creator, manufacturer, or publisher of a product. It describes the act of releasing something into the market for the very first time. The perspective is from the source: “We are sending this product out into the world.”
You would say 〇〇社がゲームを発売する (“Company X is releasing a game”) — not a retailer announcing a sale, but the developer launching their creation.
売り出す = seller putting items out for buyers
売り出す is used from the seller’s or advertiser’s perspective. It describes a seller actively putting products out — often with a promotional angle. A supermarket 売り出す seasonal produce. A real estate agent 売り出す a newly listed property. An online seller 売り出す items during a special campaign.
The same product could have a 発売日 (set by the manufacturer) and then be 売り出された (put on sale by individual retailers). The two verbs describe two different actors in the supply chain.
Advertising copy examples
発売する — from the creator:
待望（たいぼう）の新作（しんさく）をついに発売します！
Taibou no shinsaku wo tsuini hatsubai shimasu!
We are finally releasing the long-awaited new work!
売り出す — from the seller / retailer:
春の新商品（しんしょうひん）を特別価格（とくべつかかく）で売り出しています！
Haru no shin-shouhin wo tokubetsu kakaku de uridashite imasu!
We are now offering spring’s new products at special prices!
Sales Vocabulary in Product Announcements
Japanese product announcements, EC pages, and press releases use a predictable set of compound expressions. Knowing these will let you read real Japanese commercial content with confidence.
新発売 / 発売決定 / 発売延期 / 発売中止
These four expressions are the core vocabulary of product launch announcements:
新発売（しんはつばい） — new release; used as a label on packaging or advertisements
発売決定（はつばいけってい） — release confirmed; announcement that a product will launch
発売延期（はつばいえんき） — release postponed; common in gaming and entertainment
発売中止（はつばいちゅうし） — release cancelled; the product will not launch
販売開始 — start of sales
販売開始（はんばいかいし）means the official commencement of sales — the moment a product becomes available for purchase through retail channels. It is often used in the same announcement as 発売: the product is released (発売) and simultaneously its retail sales begin (販売開始).
Example — launch day announcement:
本日（ほんじつ）より販売開始です！ご購入（ごこうにゅう）はこちらから。
Honjitsu yori hanbai-kaishi desu! Go-kounyuu wa kochira kara.
Sales start today! Purchase here.
売り出しキャンペーン — launch promotion
売り出しキャンペーン（うりだしキャンペーン）is the term for a promotional push designed to drive initial sales of a product or service. It combines the promotional energy of 売り出す with the organized structure of a campaign.
Example — campaign announcement:
発売記念（はつばいきねん）の売り出しキャンペーンを開催（かいさい）中！期間限定（きかんげんてい）で特別特典（とくべつとくてん）をプレゼント。
Hatsubai-kinen no uridashi kyanpeen wo kaisai-chuu! Kikan-gentei de tokubetsu-tokuten wo purezento.
Our launch commemorative sales campaign is running now! Limited-time special bonus included.
Press release and EC page language
When you read a Japanese press release or Amazon Japan product listing, you will typically find these terms used in this order: 発売決定 → 発売日 → 販売開始 → 販売中 → 売り出しキャンペーン. The first two are about the upcoming launch; the next two describe the ongoing commercial life of the product; the last is about promotional activity. Understanding this vocabulary sequence helps you navigate any product announcement in Japanese.
YukaSo when I see 新発売 on a snack at the convenience store, it literally means “newly released onto the market” — not just that it’s on sale or discounted?
ReiExactly! 新発売 means it’s a brand new product that just entered the market — it has nothing to do with a price discount. If it were discounted, you’d see セール or 特価（とっか）instead. 新発売 is purely about newness and the act of launching. Japanese convenience stores use it aggressively — a new flavor or a seasonal limited item almost always gets that 新発売 sticker when it first appears.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Using 発売する for ordinary selling
Because 発売する sounds specific and “impressive,” learners sometimes use it where 売る or 販売する belongs. 発売する is reserved for the first launch of a new product. You cannot use it to describe selling bread at a bakery every day, or a company’s ongoing distribution of an established product.
❌ このパン屋は毎朝（まいあさ）バゲットを発売する。 (wrong — it’s not a product launch every morning)
✅ このパン屋は毎朝バゲットを売っている。 (correct)
Using 販売する in casual conversation too often
The formal sound of 販売する makes some learners reach for it when they want to sound “more fluent.” However, using it in casual settings — chatting with friends, describing personal transactions, casual text messages — sounds unnatural and overly stiff. Unless you are writing something formal, 売る is almost always the more natural choice for everyday speech.
Confusing 発売日 (release date) with 販売日
発売日（はつばいび）is the standard term for “release date” in Japanese. The non-existent *販売日（はんばいび）is not a standard compound. If you see a date associated with a product launch, it will almost always be 発売日, not 販売日. This is a common slip that reveals the learner is reasoning from English (“selling date”) rather than from Japanese conventions.
Translating every “sell” as 売る in business writing
The opposite problem: learners who know only 売る may translate every “sell” in a business document as 売る, producing writing that sounds too casual for the context. Business documents, press releases, and company reports in Japanese expect 販売する. Writing 「当社はこの製品を売る」in a formal press release will raise eyebrows.
Misreading 発売中 vs 販売中 on product pages
Be aware that 発売中（はつばいちゅう）does exist — it means “currently on sale” and is used much like 販売中, though with a slightly broader or more promotional connotation. However, 発売中 is less common than 販売中 on formal product pages. The important thing is not to confuse 発売日（the date）with 発売中（the state of currently being on sale） — these are very different things.
Missing the promotional nuance of 売り出す
Learners who know 売る sometimes read 売り出す as simply a more emphatic version of 売る. It is not just emphasis — the 出す component genuinely adds a “putting it out / starting to sell” nuance. If you see 売り出し中 on a flyer, do not read it as a neutral “for sale” label. It signals active promotion: something is being pushed out to buyers, often at a special price or for a limited time.
Decision Rule: Which Sales Verb Should You Use?
Basic selling (any context, any seller)?
If you simply need to say “sell” without any special commercial, launch, or promotional nuance — use 売る. It works for individuals, businesses, casual speech, and neutral writing. It is the safe default that will never sound wrong, though it may sound informal in formal business contexts.
Commercial / business selling (ongoing)?
If you are describing a company’s ongoing commercial sales activity — in a press release, a business report, a product page, or formal communication — use 販売する.
New product going on sale for the first time?
If you are announcing or describing a new product being released to the market for the first time — use 発売する. This is the verb for product launches, debut releases, and release-date announcements.
Starting a promotion or putting items out for sale?
If the emphasis is on a seller actively putting items out for buyers — often with a promotional angle, a special price, or a new listing — use 売り出す.
Quick decision flowchart
Are you describing a NEW product entering the market for the FIRST TIME?
YES → 発売する (hatsubai suru)
(new game, new album, new model — manufacturer perspective)
NO → Is the selling context COMMERCIAL / BUSINESS / FORMAL?
YES → 販売する (hanbai suru)
(company selling a product line, official business language)
NO → Is a seller ACTIVELY PROMOTING or STARTING a sale?
YES → 売り出す (uridasu)
(retailer launching a promotion, listing a property)
NO → 売る (uru)
(everyday selling — casual, individual, neutral)Quick Quiz
Test yourself with these six sentences. Choose the most natural verb or compound for each blank.
1. The new Nintendo Switch game _____ on July 20th.
(a) 販売される (b) 発売される (c) 売り出される
Answer: (b) 発売される — A new product entering the market for the first time uses 発売する. The 発売日 is July 20th.
2. I sold my old bicycle on Mercari.
メルカリで古い自転車（じてんしゃ）を_____。
(a) 販売した (b) 発売した (c) 売った
Answer: (c) 売った — Individual casual selling uses 売る. 販売した sounds like a press release; 発売した is wrong because a used bicycle is not a new product launch.
3. Our company sells its products at electronics stores nationwide.
当社（とうしゃ）の製品（せいひん）は全国の家電量販店（かでんりょうはんてん）で_____。
(a) 売られています (b) 販売されています (c) 売り出されています
Answer: (b) 販売されています — Formal business language describing ongoing commercial distribution uses 販売する.
4. The supermarket is now promoting fresh peaches at a special price.
スーパーでは新鮮（しんせん）な桃（もも）を特価（とっか）で_____。
(a) 発売中 (b) 販売中 (c) 売り出し中
Answer: (c) 売り出し中 — The promotional, active-selling nuance of 売り出す fits best. The supermarket is actively pushing the peaches at a special price, not just stocking them.
5. When is the release date for that movie?
あの映画（えいが）の_____はいつですか？
(a) 販売日 (b) 発売日 (c) 売り出し日
Answer: (b) 発売日 — 発売日 is the standard compound for “release date.” 販売日 is not a standard term, and 売り出し日 is not used for films.
6. Due to development delays, the release of the new smartphone has been postponed.
開発の遅れ（おくれ）により、新スマートフォンの_____となりました。
(a) 販売延期 (b) 発売延期 (c) 売り出し延期
Answer: (b) 発売延期 — 発売延期 is the standard compound for a product launch being postponed. 販売延期 is not a standard compound in this context.
Have you ever seen 新発売 or 発売日 on a Japanese product page and wondered what it meant? Or used 販売中 in a business context and been unsure if it was right? Share in the comments — we’d love to hear your experience with Japanese sales vocabulary!
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