商品（しょうひん、shouhin）
- product / merchandise

The Japanese word 商品 (しょうひん - shouhin) primarily means "product," "merchandise," or "goods." It refers to items that are made or offered for sale. This encompasses a wide range of things, from physical items like clothes and electronics to digital products and services. The word emphasizes the commercial aspect and availability for purchase. The focus is on something that can be bought, sold, and traded. 商品 can also refer to the stock of goods a store has available.

⚫︎ 新しい商品 Translation: New product ⚫︎ この商品は人気があります。 Translation: This product is popular. ⚫︎ 商品の展示会 Translation: Product exhibition

⚫︎ 商品 is a versatile word used in various contexts related to commerce, retail, and manufacturing. ⚫︎ It is appropriate for formal and informal situations. ⚫︎ Use 商品 when discussing items for sale, advertising, shopping, or inventory. ⚫︎ You can use it when talking about different types of 商品, like "food products" or "electronic goods."

⚫︎ The standard way to write 商品 is with the kanji 商品. ⚫︎ The reading is しょうひん (shouhin) in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no common variations in okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ 品物 (shinamono) - goods, articles ⚫︎ 品 (shina) - goods, items (can be a more general term) ⚫︎ 製品 (seihin) - manufactured goods, product (focuses on the manufacturing process) ⚫︎ アイテム (aitemu) - item (borrowed from English, often used for specific items)

⚫︎ There isn't a direct antonym for 商品, as it is a term that describes what is being sold. ⚫︎ However, one could consider things that aren't for sale, like personal belongings or private items.

この店には様々な商品があります。 ・Translation: This store has various products. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the variety of goods available in a store using the word 商品.

商品の価格はいくらですか？ ・Translation: How much is the price of the product? ・Explanation: This sentence uses 商品 to inquire about the price of an item.

The word 商品 is composed of two kanji: 商 (shou), meaning "trade" or "commerce," and 品 (hin), meaning "goods," "article," or "item." Therefore, the etymology directly reflects the meaning of "goods for trade."