Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 発売する | hatsubai suru |
| リリースする | rirīsu suru |
In the sense of making a product available to the public, you can use 発売する or リリースする. If you are talking specifically about a release date or launch date, use 発売日. Other formal terms for 'release' exist depending on the context: 放出 is used for the release of gases, data or substances. 解放 refers to the release of a person from captivity. 公開 is used for releasing movies, information or new products to the public. And 発表 is used for the release of official announcements, reports or statements. For the noun 'release', you might use 釈放 to mean the event of setting someone free or リリース specifically for the distribution of a computer software product.
Which one should you use?
発売する is the standard term used specifically when the release involves making a physical or digital product available for purchase. In contrast, リリースする is a modern loanword more commonly used in technical or media contexts, such as releasing software updates, press releases or new music.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that a product was released in the past, change the verb to the past tense form 発売した.
How do you pronounce it?
hatsubai suru
Did you know?
- In the context of releasing a prisoner, the term 釈放 is used. Interestingly, the first character 釈 also appears in the word for 'explanation', implying that a release often follows a legal clarification or justification.
- When a movie is released in Japanese theaters, it is called 公開, which literally means 'making it open'. This suggests that the movie was already there and the doors were simply opened to the public.
- If you use the loanword リリースする to describe someone being let out of prison, it will sound bizarre to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- 彼が新しい曲をリリースしました。He released a new song.
- 私たちは動物を放出した。We released the animals.
- 新しいゲームを発売する。atarashii geemu o hatsubai suru.To release a new game.
- 来月、この本を発売する予定です。raigetsu, kono hon o hatsubai suru yotei desu.I plan to release this book next month.
- 限定版のCDを発売する。genteiban no shii dii o hatsubai suru.To release a limited edition CD.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new product at a cafe.
- 蓮 Ren新しいスマホを発売するらしいよ。atarashii sumaho o hatsubai suru rashii yo.I heard they are going to release a new smartphone.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？いつ発売するのかな？hontou? itsu hatsubai suru no kana?Really? I wonder when they will release it?
- 蓮 Ren来週の月曜日に発売するみたいだよ。raishuu no getsuyoubi ni hatsubai suru mitai da yo.It looks like they will release it next Monday.
- 美咲 Misakiそれは楽しみだね！sore wa tanoshimi da ne!I'm looking forward to it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “release” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
