Shopping & Money

この辺あたりにおいしいお店おみせはありますか？

Is there a good place to eat around here?

Usage お店 with the polite お is the everyday form; 店 (みせ) alone is plainer and more written. この辺 (このあたり) = around here.

Remember it 店 = 广 (a roof) + 占 (to occupy a spot). A roofed spot claimed for selling.

近所きんじょのスーパーで野菜やさいと肉にくを買いかいました。

I bought vegetables and meat at the supermarket nearby.

Usage Clipped from スーパーマーケット. Japanese trims long loanwords to about four mora: コンビニ, デパート, パソコン, エアコン.

Remember it From English 'super(market)'. The clipped half is the half people actually say.

母ははの誕生日たんじょうびプレゼントをデパートで選びえらびました。

I chose a birthday present for my mother at the department store.

Usage Clipped from デパートメントストア. デパ地下 (デパちか) is the basement food hall, worth knowing if you ever shop in Japan.

Remember it From English 'depart(ment store)', trimmed to four mora: で-ぱ-あ-と.

新しいあたらしい市場しじょうを開拓かいたくするために調査ちょうさを行ったおこなった。

We carried out research in order to open up a new market.

Usage Two readings, two meanings: しじょう is an abstract market in the economic sense, いちば is a physical marketplace where you buy fish. This is しじょう.

Remember it 市 (city, market) + 場 (place). The reading you pick decides whether it is a concept or a location.

本屋ほんやで参考書さんこうしょを三冊さんさつ買いかいました。

I bought three reference books at the bookshop.

Usage 屋 turns a product into the shop that sells it: 本屋, 花屋, パン屋, 肉屋. Books take the counter 冊 (さつ).

Remember it 本 (book) + 屋 (shop, roof). 屋 can name the shopkeeper as well as the shop.

服屋ふくやでセールをやっていたので、シャツしゃつを二枚にまい買いかいました。

The clothes shop had a sale on, so I bought two shirts.

Usage Flat things — shirts, paper, tickets — are counted with 枚 (まい): シャツ二枚. セールをやっている = to have a sale running.

Remember it 服 (clothes) + 屋 (shop). The same 屋 pattern as 本屋 and パン屋.

頭あたまが痛いいたいので、薬局やっきょくで頭痛薬ずつうやくを買いかいました。

I had a headache, so I bought headache medicine at the pharmacy.

Usage 薬局 fills prescriptions; a ドラッグストア also sells cosmetics and snacks. Note 薬 shifts to やく inside 頭痛薬.

Remember it 薬 (medicine) + 局 (bureau). A licensed medicine office.

銀行ぎんこうに行っていって、お金おかねを引き出しひきだしました。

I went to the bank and withdrew some money.

Usage お金を引き出す = to withdraw, お金を預ける (あずける) = to deposit, 振り込む (ふりこむ) = to transfer. All three appear at N3.

Remember it 銀 (silver) + 行 (to conduct business). The house where silver moves.

郵便局ゆうびんきょくで荷物にもつを送りおくりました。

I sent a parcel at the post office.

Usage The same 局 appears in 薬局 and 放送局 (broadcasting station). 郵便番号 (ゆうびんばんごう) = postcode.

Remember it 郵 (post) + 便 (service) + 局 (bureau). The postal service bureau.

この商品しょうひんは品質ひんしつがよくて、値段ねだんも手頃てごろです。

This product is good quality and the price is reasonable too.

Usage 商品 is merchandise offered for sale; 製品 (せいひん) is something manufactured. 手頃 (てごろ) = reasonable, just right for you.

Remember it 商 (commerce) + 品 (goods). 品 is three boxes stacked — a pile of items.

値札ねふだを見てみて、値段ねだんを確認かくにんしてから買いかいました。

I looked at the price tag and checked the price before buying.

Usage Read ねふだ. 値 (ね) heads a whole family of shop words: 値段, 値引き, 値上げ (price rise), 値下げ (price cut).

Remember it 値 (price) + 札 (a slip or tag). The slip with the price on it.

値引きねびきしてもらえますか？

Could you give me a discount?

Usage 値引きする = to knock the price down. On signs you will more often see 割引 (わりびき): 20%割引 = twenty percent off.

Remember it 値 (price) + 引く (to pull). Pulling the price downward.

このスーパーは他ほかより野菜やさいが安いやすいです。

This supermarket has cheaper vegetables than the others.

Usage AはBより + adjective = A is more … than B. Careful with 安っぽい (やすっぽい), which means cheap-looking and is an insult.

Remember it 安 = 宀 (roof) over 女. Calm at home — the same kanji gives 安心 (relief) and 安全 (safety).

このブランドのバッグばっぐはとても高いたかいです。

Bags from this brand are very expensive.

Usage 高い means both expensive and tall — 背が高い = tall. The opposites split: 安い for price, 低い (ひくい) for height.

Remember it 高 is a drawing of a tall building with a tower on top.

財布さいふにお金おかねがなくなってしまいました。

I've run out of money in my wallet.

Usage なくなる = to run out or disappear. お金がない = to be broke. The kanji alone reads きん and means gold or metal.

Remember it 金 shows nuggets of metal buried under a roof — gold in the ground.

このお店みせは現金げんきん払いばらいのみです。

This shop is cash only.

Usage 現金払いのみ is a sign you will meet often in Japan. のみ is a formal, written だけ. Cashless payment is キャッシュレス.

Remember it 現 (present, actual) + 金 (money). Money actually in your hand.

小銭こぜにが足りたりなかったので、千円札せんえんさつで払いはらいました。

I didn't have enough coins, so I paid with a thousand-yen note.

Usage 小銭 is loose change you are carrying, which is not the same as お釣り (change handed back). 札 (さつ) counts banknotes.

Remember it 小 (small) + 銭 (coin). 銭 was an old unit worth one-hundredth of a yen.

千円せんえん払ってはらって、お釣りおつりは三百円さんびゃくえんでした。

I paid a thousand yen and the change was three hundred.

Usage English uses 'change' for both, but Japanese splits them: お釣り is what comes back to you, 小銭 is what jingles in your pocket.

Remember it 釣る means to fish or to hook. Your change is what you hook back out of the transaction.

クレジットカードで支払いしはらいはできますか？

Can I pay by credit card?

Usage In a shop, カード on its own usually means クレジットカード. カードで払う = to pay by card. ポイントカード loyalty cards are everywhere.

Remember it From English 'card', three mora: か-あ-ど.

レシートれしーとは捨てすてずに保管ほかんしておいてください。

Please keep the receipt rather than throwing it away.

Usage レシート is the printed till slip; 領収書 (りょうしゅうしょ) is the formal receipt you request for expenses. ずに = without doing.

Remember it From English 'receipt'. Ask for a 領収書 when you need to claim it back at work.

レジ袋ぶくろは有料ゆうりょうなので、エコバッグを持ってもってきました。

Plastic bags cost money now, so I brought my own reusable bag.

Usage レジ袋 voices to ぶくろ through rendaku, the same shift as 紙袋 (かみぶくろ). 有料 = charged for, 無料 (むりょう) = free.

Remember it 袋 = 代 over 衣 (clothing). Cloth turned into something that holds things.

試着しちゃくしてみてもいいですか？

May I try this on?

Usage 試着してみてもいいですか is the exact phrase for a fitting room, which is 試着室 (しちゃくしつ). The same 試 gives 試験 and 試合.

Remember it 試 (to try) + 着 (to wear). Trying by wearing.

このジャケットのSサイズはありますか？

Do you have this jacket in size S?

Usage Japanese clothing sizes run smaller than Western ones — a Japanese M is often a Western S. Shoes are sized in centimetres, not UK or US numbers.

Remember it From English 'size', three mora: さ-い-ず.

この服ふく、他ほかの色いろはありますか？

Do you have this piece of clothing in another colour?

Usage 色 reads いろ alone and しょく in compounds: 黄色 (きいろ), 色彩 (しきさい). 他の色 = another colour, a useful shopping phrase.

Remember it 色 began as a drawing of two figures; the sense drifted from complexion to colour.

赤いあかいバラは愛あいの象徴しょうちょうです。

Red roses are a symbol of love.

Usage 赤い is the adjective, 赤 the noun. The same kanji gives 赤ちゃん (baby, the little red one) and 赤字 (あかじ, being in the red).

Remember it 赤 shows a figure standing over a fire — the colour of flame.

青いあおい空そらを見るみると、気持ちきもちが落ち着きおちつきます。

Looking at the blue sky makes me feel calm.

Usage Important for English speakers: 青 traditionally covers blue and green together. A green traffic light is 青信号, and unripe fruit is 青い.

Remember it 青 = 生 (growing) over 月. The colour of new growth, which is why it swallows green.

白いしろい雪ゆきが静かにしずかに降ってふっています。

White snow is falling quietly.

Usage 白 also means blank: 白紙 (blank paper), 空白 (くうはく, a blank space). It reads はく in 白鳥 and びゃく in 白夜.

Remember it 白 is a picture of a lamp flame or a grain of rice — something pale and bright.

黒いくろい猫ねこが道みちを横切りよこぎりました。

A black cat crossed the road.

Usage Japanese uses black and white for guilt and innocence just as English does: 黒 = guilty, 白 = innocent. 真っ黒 (まっくろ) = pitch black.

Remember it 黒 has 灬 (fire dots) at its base — surfaces blackened by soot.

クレジットカードくれじっとかーどで支払うしはらうことはできますか？

Is it possible to pay by credit card?

Usage 支払う is the formal verb; plain 払う (はらう) is everyday speech. The noun 支払い (しはらい) is printed on every bill and invoice.

Remember it 支 (to pay out, to branch off) + 払う (to sweep away). Money swept out of your hands.

値切ってねぎってみましたが、店員てんいんさんに断られことわられました。

I tried to haggle, but the shop assistant turned me down.

Usage Read ねぎる. Cultural note: haggling is not customary in most Japanese shops, so expect the polite refusal this sentence describes. 断る = to decline.

Remember it 値 (price) + 切る (to cut). Cutting the price down.

人気にんきのレストランなので、予約よやくしておいたほうがいいです。

It's a popular restaurant, so you'd better book ahead.

Usage 予約 books a place or a time; 注文 orders goods. ておいたほうがいい = you had better do it in advance — a compound N3 pattern worth memorising whole.

Remember it 予 (beforehand) + 約 (a promise). A promise made ahead of time.

荷物にもつを友達ともだちの家いえに送りおくりました。

I sent the parcel to my friend's house.

Usage 送る covers posting things and seeing people off: 駅まで送る = to walk someone to the station. 見送る (みおくる) = to see off at a departure.

Remember it 送 = 辶 (movement) + 关. Setting something in motion toward someone.

小包こづつみを受け取りうけとりに郵便局ゆうびんきょくへ行きいきました。

I went to the post office to collect a parcel.

Usage Verb stem + に行く = to go in order to do something: 受け取りに行く. 受け取る is for physical things; 受ける alone is for tests and impressions.

Remember it 受ける (to receive) + 取る (to take). Receiving and taking hold of it.

サイズさいずが合わなかったあわなかったので、返品へんぴんしたいのですが。

The size didn't fit, so I'd like to return this.

Usage 返品する = to return goods, 交換 (こうかん) = to exchange them. Trailing off with のですが softens a request — very useful in shops.

Remember it 返 (to return) + 品 (goods). The goods going back.

この製品せいひんには一年間いちねんかんの保証ほしょうがついています。

This product comes with a one-year warranty.

Usage 保証 is a guarantee or warranty; 保険 (ほけん) is insurance. The card in the box is the 保証書 (ほしょうしょ). ついている = to come with.

Remember it 保 (to keep, to protect) + 証 (proof). Kept proof that they will stand behind it.

新品しんぴんと中古ちゅうこでは値段ねだんがかなり違いちがいます。

There's quite a difference in price between new and secondhand.

Usage 新品 = brand new, 中古 = used. Listings also use 未使用 (みしよう, unused) and 美品 (びひん, excellent condition).

Remember it 新 (new) + 品 (goods). Goods still fresh.

中古ちゅうこの自転車じてんしゃを安くやすく買いかいました。

I bought a secondhand bicycle cheaply.

Usage 中古 is often written 中古品. Japan's secondhand market is enormous, so ブックオフ and メルカリ are household words.

Remember it 中 (middle) + 古 (old). Partway old — used, but not antique.

デパートで夏なつのセールが始まりはじまりました。

The summer sale has started at the department store.

Usage セール is a shop's sale event; 販売 (はんばい) is selling as an activity. バーゲン is the older loanword for the same thing.

Remember it From English 'sale'. The native way to state the size of it is 〜割引.

もうすぐ閉店へいてんの時間じかんです。お急ぎください。

It's nearly closing time. Please hurry.

Usage 閉店 means closing for the day and also closing down for good — 閉店セール is a closing-down sale. Its opposite is 開店.

Remember it 閉 (to shut) + 店 (shop). 閉 shows a bar dropped across the gate 門.

開店かいてんは午前ごぜん十時じゅうじです。

Opening time is ten in the morning.

Usage 開店 pairs with 閉店. For daily trading hours, shop signs usually say 営業時間 (えいぎょうじかん) instead.

Remember it 開 (to open) + 店 (shop). 開 is two hands lifting the bar off the gate 門.

このレストランは月曜日げつようび定休日ていきゅうびなので、営業えいぎょうしていません。

This restaurant is closed on Mondays, so it isn't open.

Usage 営業 means both 'open for business' and the sales department at a company. 営業中 = open now, 定休日 (ていきゅうび) = the regular weekly closing day.

Remember it 営 (to run, to operate) + 業 (business). The business being operated.