押し売り

• Reading: おしうり
• Romaji: oshiuri
• Kanji breakdown: 押 (ou/o) — push, press; 売 (bai/u) — sell
• Pronunciation: /o.ɕi.ɯ.ɾi/

Meaning

High-pressure sales; pushy selling; forcing goods or services on an unwilling customer.

A noun and verbal noun (押し売りする) referring to aggressive or coercive sales tactics, ranging from persistent door-to-door sellers to outright intimidation. Protections against 押し売り exist under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (特定商取引法). The term is also used figuratively for anyone who persistently imposes their opinions, help, or requests on others.

Examples

1. 玄関先での押し売りには、はっきりと断る勇気が必要だ。 It takes courage to firmly refuse pushy salespeople who come to your door.
2. 押し売り業者によるトラブルが相談センターに多数寄せられている。 Numerous complaints about high-pressure sales tactics have been submitted to consumer advice centres.
3. 上司の親切の押し売りに困っているという話をよく聞く。 You often hear of people being troubled by their boss's insistence on forcing his kindness on them.

Usage Guide

Context: business, retail, consumer protection, everyday language

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Compound of 押し (oshi — pushing, forcing) and 売り (uri — selling). Literally forced selling — pushing unwanted goods onto a customer who did not seek them out.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal