Meaning and Usage
"商品" (しょうひん) refers to goods or products that are sold or traded. It is commonly used in business, shopping, and marketing contexts to describe items available for purchase.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "商品" when talking about stores, sales, or product development. For example, "新商品" means "new product," and "商品を返品する" means "to return a product."
Collocations and Patterns
- 商品を売る: to sell products
- 新商品: new product
- 商品を返品する: to return a product
- 商品開発: product development
These phrases are useful in everyday conversation about shopping or business.
Register and Politeness
"商品" is a neutral and formal word suitable for both casual and business situations. It is not slang and is appropriate in written and spoken Japanese.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "商品" with "製品" (せいひん), which also means product but often emphasizes the manufacturing aspect. "商品" focuses more on the item as merchandise for sale.