通販

• Reading: つうはん
• Romaji: tsuuhan
• Kanji breakdown: 通 (tsū) — pass through, communicate; 販 (han) — sell, trade
• Pronunciation: /tsɯː.haɴ/

Meaning

Mail order; online shopping; e-commerce. Purchasing goods remotely rather than in a physical shop.

An abbreviation of 通信販売 (tsūshin hanbai, mail-order sales). Originally referred to catalogue shopping but now primarily means online shopping. Very commonly used in everyday Japanese. Common collocations include 通販サイト (e-commerce site), 通販番組 (TV shopping programme), and ネット通販 (online shopping). Can also be used as a suru verb: 通販する.

Examples

1. 最近は日用品もほとんど通販で買っている。 Lately I buy almost all my everyday items online.
2. 通販サイトのセールで靴を3足も買ってしまった。 I ended up buying three pairs of shoes during a sale on an e-commerce site.
3. 通販で届いた商品がイメージと違った。 The item I ordered online was different from what I expected.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, daily life, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Abbreviation of 通信販売 (tsūshin hanbai): 通信 (communication/correspondence) + 販売 (sales). Literally 'correspondence sales' — buying through remote communication.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal