The Kanji: 売 (Bai / U)
The kanji 売 means "to sell" or "to deal in." It evolved from 賣, combining 出 (out) and 買 (buy), representing the exchange of goods for money. This character fundamentally represents commercial transactions.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 売る (uru) - To sell
店で商品を売る。
"Sell products in a store."
2. 販売 (hanbai) - Sales
新車の販売が好調だ。
"New car sales are strong."
3. 商売 (shōbai) - Business
祖父は酒店を商売にしている。
"My grandfather runs a sake shop as his business."
4. 売り場 (uriba) - Counter
切符売り場はあちらです。
"The ticket counter is over there."
In summary, 売 covers all aspects of selling - from the basic action (売る) and business operations (商売) to specific sales activities (販売) and commercial spaces (売り場). It's fundamental to commerce vocabulary.