Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 賣 / 卖 | mài |
| 售 | shòu |
| 贩卖 | fànmài |
The primary way to express the act of selling goods or services is through the various forms of 賣 / 卖, 售 and 贩卖. 贩卖 can mean 'to sell', but it often carries a connotation of peddling goods or, in certain contexts, illegal trafficking (e.g., 販賣毒品 – trafficking drugs).
Which one should you use?
The character 賣 (traditional) and 卖 (simplified) are the same word, differing only in their written script. The character 售 is more formal and is often used in business contexts, such as in the words '售價' (selling price) or '販售' (to sell/market). While 販賣 can mean 'to sell', it often carries a connotation of peddling goods or, in certain contexts, illegal trafficking.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
售 is more formal and is often used in business contexts. 售卖 is a term that is slightly more formal than 卖 but still suitable for many informal situations, conveying the act of selling in a more specific and deliberate manner. 销售 is a versatile term used in formal contexts, particularly in business settings, to refer to the general act of selling products or services. 出售 is a formal term used to indicate the act of selling something or offering it for sale, often with the connotation of exchanging ownership.
How do you pronounce it?
mài
Did you know?
- In some contexts, the word 賣 is used in phrases like 賣力, which doesn't mean 'selling strength' but rather 'putting in a great deal of effort'.
- The word 賣 can be used as a slang term to mean 'betray' or 'sell out' a friend or colleague, similar to the English expression 'to sell someone down the river'.
- The character for 'sell' 賣 is actually built from the character for 'buy' 買 with an added component meaning 'go out'.
Examples in context
- 你們也有販售咖啡壺配件嗎？Do you sell coffee pot accessories too?This sentence is useful for asking about the availability of products using 售.Tatoeba #13549681 by LeviHighway, translation #13187034 by Nuel
- 草莓在冬天售價高。Strawberries sell for a high price in the winter.This sentence is useful for describing how a product is sold at a certain price using 售.Tatoeba #919952 by Martha, translation #898998 by CK
- 我们公司正在销售新的产品。We are selling new products in our company.
- 这个商家销售高品质的商品。This shop sells high-quality products.
- 我打算出售我的二手车。I plan to sell my used car.
- 他想出售他的房子。He wants to sell his house.
- 我们这里卖各种新鲜水果。We sell various fresh fruits here.
- 他在网上卖东西。He sells things online.
- 这个小摊位售卖各种特色产品。This small stall sells various specialty products.
- 他每天都在街头售卖自己的手工艺品。He sells his handmade crafts on the street every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sell” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 賣, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
