量販店

• Reading: りょうはんてん
• Romaji: ryouhanten
• Kanji breakdown: 量 (ryou) — quantity, volume; 販 (han) — sell; 店 (ten) — shop, store
• Pronunciation: /ɾjoː.haɴ.teɴ/

Meaning

Volume retailer; mass-market store; large retail outlet that sells goods in bulk or at discount.

A noun for stores that sell large quantities at competitive prices. In Japan, the term most commonly refers to electronics retailers (家電量販店) like Yodobashi Camera or Bic Camera, but also applies to other large chain stores. Often shortened to 量販 in compound forms.

Examples

1. 家電量販店でパソコンを安く買えた。 I was able to buy a laptop cheap at a big-box electronics store.
2. 量販店のセールは週末に集中している。 Sales at mass-market stores are concentrated on weekends.
3. 地方にも大型の量販店が増えてきた。 Large retail chains have been expanding into rural areas too.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, electronics, retail, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 量 (ryou, quantity/volume) + 販 (han, to sell) + 店 (ten, shop/store). Literally 'volume-selling shop,' a modern commercial term that emerged with the growth of mass retail in postwar Japan.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal