Translation guide
How to express the idea of 'selling out' in Japanese, covering commercial sell-outs, betraying principles, and revealing secrets.
To say that a product, tickets, or stock is completely sold.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be sold out'. Used when the subject is the product itself.
そのチケットはもう売り切れました。
Those tickets are already sold out.
新商品はすぐに売り切れた。
The new product sold out immediately.
Noun meaning 'sold out'. Often used on signs or in announcements.
この商品は売り切れです。
This item is sold out.
Noun/suru-verb meaning 'sold out', often used for tickets or limited items. Slightly more formal than 売り切れ.
コンサートのチケットは完売しました。
The concert tickets are sold out.
To describe someone who compromises their values, integrity, or artistic vision for money or success.
Literally 'to sell one's soul'. A strong metaphor for completely abandoning one's principles.
彼は成功のために魂を売った。
He sold his soul for success.
To bend or compromise one's beliefs. Less dramatic than 'selling one's soul'.
彼は金のために信念を曲げた。
He compromised his principles for money.
To compromise. A general term that can imply selling out in a less intense way.
彼は商業主義に妥協した。
He compromised with commercialism.
To betray. Can be used for selling out one's ideals, but is a broader term for betrayal.
To say that someone has disclosed confidential information or betrayed a person to authorities.
To inform on someone, to rat someone out. Implies reporting to authorities.
彼は仲間を警察に密告した。
He sold out his friends to the police.
To betray. Can be used for selling out a person by revealing secrets.
彼は私を裏切って、秘密をばらした。
He sold me out and revealed my secret.
Literally 'to sell'. In slang, can mean to betray or sell out someone, as in 友達を売る (sell out a friend).
あいつ、俺を売ったな。
That guy sold me out.
Directly translating 'sell out' as 売り出す (to put on sale) or 売却する (to sell off) does not convey the meaning of betraying principles or revealing secrets. Use context-appropriate expressions.
彼は自分の理想を裏切った。
He betrayed his own ideals.