完売

• Reading: かんばい
• Romaji: kanbai
• Kanji breakdown: 完 (complete, finish) + 売 (sell) → completely sold; sold out
• Pronunciation: /kaɴ.ba.i/

Meaning

Sold out; all tickets, merchandise, or goods have been purchased with none remaining.

完売 is a straightforward but emotionally charged word in fan culture. Seeing 完売 on a ticket site or merch page triggers disappointment, while an artist announcing 完売 for their concert is a badge of honor showing their popularity. 完売 is used for concerts, merchandise, limited editions, and any fan goods. It's different from 即完 (instantly sold out) in that it doesn't specify how quickly the sellout happened.

Examples

1. もう完売！？さっき見たときはまだあったのに。 Already sold out?! It was still available when I checked earlier!
2. 全公演完売おめでとう！さすが人気すごい。 Congrats on selling out every show! That popularity is no joke.
3. 完売したグッズ、再販してくれないかな。 I wish they'd restock the merch that sold out.

Usage Guide

Context: ticket purchasing, merchandise, social media, media

Tone: matter-of-fact, emotional in fan context

Do Say

• チケット完売だって、転売サイトは見たくないけど。 (They say tickets are sold out — I don't want to look at resale sites though.)
• 東京ドーム完売させるのが夢って言ってたのが現実になった。 (Their dream of selling out Tokyo Dome has come true.)

Don't Say

• 在庫が少なくなっただけで「完売」は使わない — 完売 means zero stock remaining, not 'almost sold out'

Common Mistakes

• Confusing 完売 with 品切れ — both mean unavailable, but 完売 emphasizes all units were sold (positive), while 品切れ just means out of stock

Origin & History

From 完 (complete) + 売 (sell). A standard commercial term that carries special weight in entertainment culture, where sell-outs are closely tracked as popularity metrics.

Cultural Context

Era: Standard term, always relevant in entertainment

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. '全公演完売' (all shows sold out) is one of the proudest accomplishments for any Japanese artist.