Shopping Vocabulary — Japanese N1

Essential Japanese vocabulary for stores, prices, shopping, money, bargaining. N1 level reference with readings, romaji, and examples.

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Shopping Vocabulary — JLPT N1

At the N1 level, shopping vocabulary transcends basic transactions. It encompasses the nuances of consumer behavior, high-end retail, economic terminology, and the sophisticated language used in professional customer service or formal negotiations. This list focuses on the vocabulary required to navigate complex retail environments, understand consumer trends, and engage in formal business-to-consumer interactions.

Core Vocabulary

Japanese Reading Romaji English Part of Speech
購買 こうばい kōbai purchasing / buying Noun
卸売 おろしうり oroshiuri wholesale Noun
小売 こうり kōri retail Noun
勘定 かんじょう kanjō bill / account / calculation Noun
決済 けっさい kessai settlement / payment Noun
妥協 だきょう dakyō compromise (in bargaining) Noun
廉価 れんか renka low price / cheap Noun/Adj
高騰 こうとう kōtō sudden price jump Noun
暴落 ぼうらく bōraku sudden price crash Noun
粗悪品 そあくひん soakuhin inferior goods Noun
逸品 いっぴん ippin masterpiece / excellent article Noun
試供品 しきょうひん shikyōhin sample / freebie Noun
贈答用 ぞうとうよう zōtōyō for gift-giving Noun
包装 ほうそう hōsō wrapping / packaging Noun
領収書 りょうしゅうしょ ryōshūsho receipt Noun
請求書 せいきゅうしょ seikyūsho invoice / bill Noun
予算 よさん yosan budget Noun
浪費 ろうひ rōhi waste / extravagance Noun
倹約 けんやく kenyaku thrift / frugality Noun
収支 しゅうし shūshi income and expenditure Noun
割賦 かっぷ kappu installment plan Noun
懸賞 けんしょう kenshō prize / reward Noun
競売 きょうばい kyōbai auction Noun
仲介 ちゅうかい chūkai brokerage / agency Noun
委託 いたく itaku consignment Noun
在庫 ざいこ zaiko inventory / stock Noun
欠品 けっぴん keppin out of stock Noun
廃盤 はいばん haiban discontinued (product) Noun
厳選 げんせん gensen careful selection Noun
趣向 しゅこう shukō plan / idea / taste Noun
吟味 ぎんみ ginmi careful examination Noun
納得 なっとく nattoku consent / understanding Noun
返品 へんぴん henpin returned goods Noun
補償 ほしょう hoshō compensation / guarantee Noun
損得 そんとく sontoku profit and loss Noun
駆け引き かけひき kakehiki bargaining / tactics Noun
提示 ていじ teiji presentation / suggestion Noun
妥結 だけつ daketsu settlement / agreement Noun
独占 どくせん dokusen monopoly Noun
供給 きょうきゅう kyōkyū supply Noun
需要 じゅよう juyō demand Noun
購買力 こうばいりょく kōbairyoku purchasing power Noun
景気 けいき keiki business conditions Noun
販路 はんろ hanro sales channel Noun
顧客 こきゃく kokyaku client / customer Noun

Key Phrases

  1. お買い上げありがとうございます。 | O-kaiage arigatō gozaimasu. | Thank you for your purchase.
  2. 在庫を確認してまいります。 | Zaiko o kakunin shite mairimasu. | I will go and check the stock.
  3. 多少のお値引きは可能でしょうか。 | Tashō no o-nebiki wa kanō deshō ka. | Is a slight discount possible?
  4. 予算内で収める必要があります。 | Yosan-nai ni osameru hitsuyō ga arimasu. | I need to keep it within budget.
  5. こちらの商品は現在、欠品中でございます。 | Kochira no shōhin wa genzai, keppin-chū de gozaimasu. | This item is currently out of stock.
  6. 返品・交換は一週間以内にお願いします。 | Henpin/kōkan wa isshūkan inai ni onegai shimasu. | Please return or exchange within one week.
  7. 領収書をいただけますか。 | Ryōshūsho o itadakemasu ka. | Could I have a receipt?
  8. 品質を吟味した上で決めたいと思います。 | Hinshitsu o ginmi shita ue de kimetai to omoimasu. | I would like to decide after carefully examining the quality.
  9. 分割払いは可能ですか。 | Bunkatsu-barai wa kanō desu ka. | Is installment payment possible?
  10. 価格の駆け引きは苦手です。 | Kakaku no kakehiki wa nigate desu. | I am not good at price bargaining.

Practice Dialogue

店員: いらっしゃいませ。何かお探しでしょうか。 (Ten'in: Irasshaimase. Nanika o-sagashi deshō ka.) Clerk: Welcome. Is there something you are looking for?

客: はい、贈答用の品を探しているのですが、予算が限られていまして。 (Kyaku: Hai, zōtōyō no shina o sagashite iru no desu ga, yosan ga kagirarete imashite.) Customer: Yes, I'm looking for a gift, but my budget is limited.

店員: かしこまりました。こちらの厳選されたセットはいかがでしょうか。 (Ten'in: Kashikomarimashita. Kochira no gensen sareta setto wa ikaga deshō ka.) Clerk: Understood. How about this carefully selected set?

客: 素敵な趣向ですね。ただ、少し予算オーバーです。お値引きは可能ですか？ (Kyaku: Suteki na shukō desu ne. Tada, sukoshi yosan ōbā desu. O-nebiki wa kanō desu ka?) Customer: It's a lovely idea. However, it's a bit over budget. Is a discount possible?

店員: 申し訳ございません。こちらの商品は人気のため、値引きはいたしかねます。 (Ten'in: Mōshiwake gozaimasen. Kochira no shōhin wa ninki no tame, nebiki wa itashikanemasu.) Clerk: I apologize. Because this item is popular, I cannot offer a discount.

客: そうですか。では、在庫がある他のものを見せていただけますか。 (Kyaku: Sō desu ka. Dewa, zaiko ga aru hoka no mono o misete itadakemasu ka.) Customer: I see. Then, could you show me other items you have in stock?

Self-Study Tips

  1. Contextual Reading: Read Japanese business news (e.g., Nikkei) to see how words like 高騰 (kōtō) and 需要 (juyō) are used in real economic contexts.
  2. Roleplay: Practice the "Bargaining" phrases with a language partner. Focus on the polite, indirect way Japanese speakers negotiate prices ("～は可能でしょうか").
  3. Flashcard Categorization: Group these words into "Retailer" vs. "Consumer" categories to understand the perspective of the speaker.
  4. Real-world Application: Next time you are in a store, mentally label the items using N1 vocabulary (e.g., 在庫 (zaiko), 包装 (hōsō), 欠品 (keppin)).