卸す

• Reading: おろす
• Romaji: orosu
• Kanji breakdown: 卸 (oro/sha) — wholesale, grate
• Pronunciation: /o.ɾo.sɯ/

Meaning

To sell wholesale; to grate vegetables. Selling goods in bulk to retailers or grating food with a grater.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugating with the s-row (卸す → 卸さない → 卸して). Has two distinct meanings: commercial wholesale distribution (商品を卸す) and food preparation by grating (大根を卸す). The wholesale meaning comes from 'sending goods down' from producer to retailer. Related nouns: 卸売り (oroshiuri, wholesale) and 大根おろし (daikon-oroshi, grated radish).

Examples

1. この会社はスーパーに野菜を卸している。 This company wholesales vegetables to supermarkets.
2. 大根を卸してそばに添えた。 I grated some daikon radish and served it with soba noodles.
3. 工場から直接小売店に卸す仕組みだ。 It's a system where goods go directly from the factory to retail stores.

Usage Guide

Context: business, cooking, commerce

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 卸 combines 御 (go, honourable/control) with a simplified form suggesting commercial transactions. Originally described the act of sending goods 'down' the supply chain from wholesaler to retailer.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal