Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "売る" vs "買う"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
売る
うる (uru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
買う
かう (kau)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 売る and 買う are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
売る (うる (uru)) represents "to sell" (Level: N4) and typically represents Transitive verb. Requires an object. Opposite of 買う.
On the other hand, 買う (かう (kau)) translates to "to buy" (Level: N4) and is used for Transitive verb. Requires an object. Opposite of 売る. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "売る"
私は古い本を売りました。
I sold my old books.
Bilingual Sentence for "買う"
新しい服を買いに行きました。
I went to buy new clothes.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "私は古い本を売りました。" (Meaning: "I sold my old books.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "売る" fits here because it represents "to sell" in the context: "I sold my old books.".