Translation guide
A pawnshop is a store that lends money in exchange for personal items as collateral, and sells unredeemed items. In Japanese, the most common term is 質屋 (しちや), but there are also modern chains and related financial terms.
A small, independent shop where you can pawn items for a loan or buy second-hand goods.
The standard word for a traditional pawnshop. It can refer to both the business and the shop itself.
彼は時計を質屋に入れた。
He pawned his watch.
あの質屋で安いギターを見つけた。
I found a cheap guitar at that pawnshop.
A larger, often more corporate pawnshop chain, sometimes called a 'recycle shop' if they focus on buying and selling used goods.
Literally 'purchase shop'. Many shops that buy used goods from customers function similarly to pawnshops but may not offer loans. Often used for chains like 大黒屋 (Daikokuya).
使わないブランドバッグを買取店に売った。
I sold my unused brand bag to a buy-back shop.
Recycle shop. These are second-hand stores that buy and sell used goods. They are more common than traditional pawnshops for everyday items, but they usually don't offer pawn loans.
引っ越し前に家具をリサイクルショップに売った。
Before moving, I sold my furniture to a recycle shop.
Referring to the industry or the act of pawning items.
The pawnbroking business or industry. Used in formal or legal contexts.
質屋業は古くからある金融業だ。
Pawnbroking is a financial business that has existed since ancient times.
The act of pawning something. Often used in the phrase 質に入れる (to pawn).
金が必要で指輪を質に入れた。
I needed money, so I pawned my ring.
In Japan, traditional pawnshops (質屋) that offer loans are less common than they used to be. Many shops that buy used goods are called リサイクルショップ (recycle shops) or 買取店 (purchase shops). These shops typically do not offer pawn loans; they just buy items outright. If you want to pawn something for a loan, look specifically for a 質屋.
古物商 (こぶつしょう) means 'second-hand dealer' and is a legal license category. Not all 古物商 are pawnshops; it includes any business dealing in used goods.