品

• Reading: しな
• Romaji: shina
• Kanji breakdown: 品 (shina/hin) — goods, article, quality
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.na/

Meaning

Item; article; goods. An object or product, especially in commercial or formal contexts.

A noun with two main readings: しな (standalone word meaning goods/item) and ひん (in compounds meaning quality or goods). As しな, it refers to merchandise or articles. The word also carries a secondary meaning of elegance or refinement (品がある, to have class). Common collocations include 品物 (goods), 返品 (returned goods), and 品切れ (out of stock).

Examples

1. この品は海外から輸入したものです。 This item was imported from overseas.
2. セールで半額になった品がたくさんある。 There are lots of items marked down to half price during the sale.
3. 品切れの商品が来週届く予定だ。 The out-of-stock item is expected to arrive next week.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, business, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 品 depicts three mouths or containers stacked together, representing multiple items or articles. It has been used since ancient Chinese to mean goods, quality, or rank.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal