Translation guide
In business and retail, 'dead stock' refers to inventory that has not sold and is unlikely to sell, often becoming obsolete or written off. This guide covers how to express this concept naturally in Japanese, from formal business terms to casual expressions.
To refer to merchandise that remains unsold for a long time and is considered a loss.
A common retail term for products that don't sell well or have become obsolete. Literally 'dead line/vein', it's the opposite of 売れ筋 (best-selling items).
This product has become completely dead stock.
Formal term for 'dead stock' or 'obsolete inventory'. Used in accounting and supply chain contexts.
We need to dispose of the dead stock.
Literally 'stagnant inventory', emphasizing that the stock is sitting idle. Common in logistics and warehousing.
Dead stock is taking up warehouse space.
General term for unsold goods, often used in retail. Can imply leftover stock after a sales period.
We sell dead stock at a bargain sale.
Direct loanword from English. Used in fashion or vintage contexts to mean unsold old stock, sometimes with a positive connotation of rarity.
This store deals in dead stock jeans.
To describe products that are no longer produced or supported, often remaining as unsold inventory.
死に筋 is a retail jargon term focusing on sales performance, while 不良在庫 is an accounting term focusing on financial loss. Use 死に筋 in casual business conversations and 不良在庫 in formal reports.
Saying 'shinisuji' in a meeting might be a bit too casual.
Avoid literal translations like 死んだ株 (dead stocks/shares) or 死んだ在庫. These are not used in Japanese business contexts and will cause confusion.
We sell off dead stock of older models at a discount.