When something is completely gone because it has all been sold, we use 卖完 (màiwán). The character 卖 (mài) means "to sell," and 完 (wán) means "finished" or "completed." So, when you put them together, it literally means "sell finished."
You'll often hear this when stores run out of a popular item, or when tickets for an event are no longer available. It's a common and practical phrase to know in daily Chinese conversation, especially if you're shopping or making plans.
When we say something is 卖完 (màiwán), it means that all of that particular item has been sold. You often hear this in shops or restaurants. It indicates a complete depletion of stock.
For example, if you go to a bakery and all the bread is gone, they might tell you 面包卖完了 (miànbāo màiwán le), meaning 'The bread is sold out.'
When something is 卖完 (màiwán), it means it’s completely sold out and there’s none left. This verb is super useful when you’re shopping or asking about product availability.
It’s often used to describe things like food, tickets, or merchandise. You might hear it in a store, restaurant, or even when talking about a popular event.
Understanding 卖完 helps you navigate daily situations in China, whether you're trying to buy something or just understand why it's not available.
Difficulty Rating
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What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
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Grammar to Know
卖完 (mài wán) can be used for items that are completely sold out, such as tickets, products, or food. It emphasizes the completion of the selling action.
电影票卖完了。(Diànyǐng piào mài wán le.) - Movie tickets are sold out.
It can be used with or without '了 (le)' to indicate the completion of the action. Using '了' often emphasizes the present state of being sold out.
这些面包都卖完了。(Zhèxiē miànbāo dōu mài wán le.) - All these breads are sold out.
卖完 (mài wán) is often used in a passive sense, indicating that the items have been sold out.
这本书已经卖完了。(Zhè běn shū yǐjīng mài wán le.) - This book is already sold out.
To ask if something is sold out, you can use the question particle '吗 (ma)'.
苹果卖完了吗？(Píngguǒ mài wán le ma?) - Are the apples sold out?
You can also specify what was sold out by placing the item before 卖完 (mài wán).
今天的饭卖完了。(Jīntiān de fàn mài wán le.) - Today's food is sold out.
Examples by Level
这本书很快就卖完了。
This book sold out very quickly.
我喜欢的咖啡今天卖完了。
My favorite coffee is sold out today.
演唱会的票已经卖完了。
The concert tickets are already sold out.
对不起，这些苹果都卖完了。
Sorry, all these apples are sold out.
他们店里的面包总是卖得很快，常常上午就卖完了。
The bread in their shop always sells fast, often selling out in the morning.
因为生意太好，所以饺子很早就卖完了。
Because business was so good, the dumplings sold out very early.
我想买的那个款式的衣服已经卖完了。
The style of clothes I wanted to buy is already sold out.
如果你想买，最好早点去，不然就卖完了。
If you want to buy, you'd better go early, otherwise it will be sold out.
很抱歉，这张票已经卖完了。
I'm sorry, this ticket is already sold out.
这款限量版手机一上市就卖完了。
This limited edition phone sold out as soon as it hit the market.
我们店里的月饼每年中秋节前都会卖完。
The mooncakes in our store always sell out before the Mid-Autumn Festival every year.
演唱会的门票在几分钟内就卖完了。
The concert tickets sold out within minutes.
由于需求量大，这些口罩很快就卖完了。
Due to high demand, these masks sold out quickly.
如果你想买，最好趁早，不然可能会卖完。
If you want to buy it, you'd better do it early, otherwise it might sell out.
没想到这么快就卖完了，看来下次得早点来。
I didn't expect it to sell out so quickly. It seems I have to come earlier next time.
因为季节性促销，所有草莓派都卖完了。
Due to the seasonal promotion, all strawberry pies are sold out.
Often Confused With
More formal than '卖完', often used in official announcements. Both mean 'sold out'.
Implies everything is sold out, leaving nothing. Similar to '卖完' but can have a stronger sense of being completely cleared out.
The character '完' (wán) itself means 'finished' or 'completed'. It's a common complement in Chinese verbs, indicating the completion of an action. Understanding its core meaning helps differentiate verbs like '卖完', '用完', '吃完', etc.
Grammar Patterns
Idioms & Expressions
"卖完了 (mài wán le)"
Sold out (indicating completion)
水果卖完了。 (Shuǐguǒ mài wán le.) - The fruits are sold out.
neutral"售罄 (shòu qìng)"
Sold out (more formal, often used for tickets or limited items)
音乐会门票已售罄。 (Yīnyuè huì ménpiào yǐ shòu qìng.) - The concert tickets are already sold out.
formal"没货了 (méi huò le)"
Out of stock, no more goods
这款手机没货了。 (Zhè kuǎn shǒujī méi huò le.) - This model of phone is out of stock.
neutral"抢光了 (qiǎng guāng le)"
All snatched up, sold out quickly (implies high demand)
新产品一上市就被抢光了。 (Xīn chǎnpǐn yī shàngshì jiù bèi qiǎng guāng le.) - The new product was snatched up as soon as it launched.
informal"清仓 (qīng cāng)"
Clearance sale (implies selling off all remaining stock)
商店正在清仓大甩卖。 (Shāngdiàn zhèngzài qīng cāng dà shuǎimài.) - The store is having a clearance sale.
neutral"脱销 (tuō xiāo)"
Out of stock, undersold (implies that demand exceeds supply)
这款化妆品经常脱销。 (Zhè kuǎn huàzhuāngpǐn jīngcháng tuō xiāo.) - This cosmetic product is often out of stock.
neutral"告罄 (gào qìng)"
Announce that something is used up or sold out (very formal)
物资已经告罄。 (Wùzī yǐjīng gào qìng.) - The supplies have been used up.
formal"一件不剩 (yī jiàn bù shèng)"
Not a single one left (emphasizes complete depletion)
衣服都卖得一件不剩。 (Yīfu dōu mài de yī jiàn bù shèng.) - All the clothes were sold, not a single one left.
neutral"空了 (kōng le)"
Empty (can refer to shelves or a store being empty of goods)
货架都空了。 (Huòjià dōu kōng le.) - The shelves are all empty.
neutral"卖断货 (mài duàn huò)"
Sold out of stock, broken stock (implies interruption of supply)
这个型号的手机卖断货了。 (Zhège xínghào de shǒujī mài duàn huò le.) - This model of phone is sold out and out of stock.
neutralEasily Confused
Many beginners confuse '卖完' with '售罄' (shòu qìng) or '卖光' (mài guāng). While similar, there are subtle differences in usage and formality.
'卖完' is a common, everyday way to say something is sold out. It emphasizes the completion of the selling action. '售罄' is more formal and often seen in written announcements or official contexts. '卖光' implies everything is sold out, leaving nothing behind, sometimes with a nuance of being completely cleared out.
这些票已经卖完了。 (Zhè xiē piào yǐjīng mài wán le.) - These tickets are already sold out.
Often confused with '卖完' because both involve the completion of something. However, '用完' specifically refers to using something up, not selling it.
'用完' means to use up or run out of something. It's about consumption, not sales.
我的手机电量用完了。 (Wǒ de shǒujī diànliàng yòng wán le.) - My phone battery is used up/dead.
Similar to '用完', '吃完' focuses on the completion of consumption, specifically eating, and is distinct from selling.
'吃完' means to finish eating something. It's about consuming food.
他把饭都吃完了。 (Tā bǎ fàn dōu chī wán le.) - He finished all the food.
Again, the '完' (wán) suffix can lead to confusion. '做完' is about completing a task or action, not about items being sold.
'做完' means to finish doing something or to complete a task.
我今天做完了我的作业。 (Wǒ jīn tiān zuò wán le wǒ de zuòyè.) - I finished my homework today.
The '完' (wán) suffix is a common source of confusion for beginners when trying to differentiate completion verbs.
'看完' means to finish reading or watching something. It's about consuming media or visual content.
我还没看完这本书。 (Wǒ hái méi kàn wán zhè běn shū.) - I haven't finished reading this book yet.
Sentence Patterns
Subj. + 卖完 + 了 (le)
票卖完了。(Piào mài wán le.) The tickets are sold out.
什么都 (shénme dōu) + 卖完了
商店里什么都卖完了。(Shāngdiàn lǐ shénme dōu mài wán le.) Everything in the store is sold out.
快 (kuài) + 卖完了
这些面包快卖完了。(Zhèxiē miànbāo kuài mài wán le.) These breads are almost sold out.
还没 (hái méi) + 卖完
电影票还没卖完。(Diànyǐngpiào hái méi mài wán.) The movie tickets are not sold out yet.
因为...所以... (yīnwèi... suǒyǐ...) + 卖完了
因为打折，所以衣服很快就卖完了。(Yīnwèi dǎzhé, suǒyǐ yīfu hěn kuài jiù mài wán le.) Because of the discount, the clothes were sold out quickly.
要是...就... (yàoshi... jiù...) + 卖完了
要是你不快点买，票就要卖完了。(Yàoshi nǐ bù kuài diǎn mǎi, piào jiù yào mài wán le.) If you don't buy quickly, the tickets will be sold out.
即使...也... (jíshǐ... yě...) + 卖完了
即使下雨，演唱会的票也卖完了。(Jíshǐ xiàyǔ, yǎnchànghuì de piào yě mài wán le.) Even if it rained, the concert tickets were sold out.
虽然...但是... (suīrán... dànshì...) + 卖完了
虽然价格很高，但是这款手机还是卖完了。(Suīrán jiàgé hěn gāo, dànshì zhè kuǎn shǒujī háishì mài wán le.) Although the price was high, this phone still sold out.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
How to Use It
When something is sold out, you can use 卖完 (mài wán). It literally means 'sell completely' or 'sell finished'. You'll often hear it in stores or online when an item is no longer available. For example:
我们所有的票都卖完了。
Wǒmen suǒyǒu de piào dōu mài wán le.
(All our tickets are sold out.)
这本书卖完了，您要不要看看别的？
Zhè běn shū mài wán le, nín yào bù yào kàn kan bié de?
(This book is sold out, would you like to look at something else?)
If something is sold out and you want to say that it 'has been' sold out, you can add 了 (le) at the end, as in the examples above. The 了 indicates a completed action or a change of state.
A common mistake is to confuse 卖完 (mài wán) with simply saying something is 'not available' or 'no longer stocked'. While 卖完 implies it's not available *because* it sold out, you wouldn't use it if the item was never stocked in the first place or is temporarily out of stock but will be replenished. For example, if a store just doesn't carry a certain product, you wouldn't say it's 卖完. You might say 没有 (méi yǒu - don't have) or 不卖 (bù mài - don't sell).
Another potential mistake is using it for things that aren't 'sold'. For instance, if all the seats on a free bus are taken, you wouldn't say 卖完了 because seats weren't 'sold'. You'd say 满了 (mǎn le - full) or 坐满了 (zuò mǎn le - full of people sitting).
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsBoth 卖完 (màiwán) and 没货 (méihuò) can mean 'sold out', but there's a subtle difference. 卖完 specifically means that all items have been sold. 没货 means there's no stock available, which could be because it's sold out, or perhaps it hasn't arrived yet, or the store doesn't carry it anymore. If you want to emphasize that something was once available but now all pieces are gone, 卖完 is more precise.
You can use 卖完 just like you would say 'sold out' in English. For example, '票卖完了' (Piào màiwán le) means 'The tickets are sold out.' Or, '这个手机卖完了' (Zhège shǒujī màiwán le) means 'This phone is sold out.' You can also add '了' (le) at the end to indicate a completed action or a change of state.
No, 卖完 specifically refers to items that were for sale and have been purchased. If all the food is eaten, you'd use something like '吃完了' (chīwán le), meaning 'all eaten up'. 卖 (mài) means 'to sell', so 卖完 literally means 'sold completely'.
The direct opposite of 卖完 would be something like '有货' (yǒuhuò), meaning 'in stock' or 'available'. Or you could say '还没卖完' (hái méi màiwán), meaning 'not sold out yet'.
卖完 is a very common and neutral term. You can use it in both formal and informal contexts. It's a practical and straightforward way to say something is sold out.
卖完 literally means completely sold out. If you want to say 'almost sold out,' you would use a different phrase, like '快卖完了' (kuài màiwán le), which means 'almost sold out' or 'will be sold out soon'.
While technically you 'sell' services, 卖完 is more commonly used for physical goods. For a fully booked appointment, you would typically say something like '预约满了' (yùyuē mǎn le), meaning 'appointments are full' or 'fully booked'.
完 (wán) means 'complete' or 'finished'. When it's used as a resultative complement after a verb, it indicates that the action of the verb has been completed. So, 卖 (to sell) + 完 (complete) = 卖完 (sold completely, or sold out).
A common mistake is to try and translate 'sold out' too literally, or to confuse it with other phrases like 'no stock'. Remember that 卖完 specifically implies that the items were sold. Also, make sure to use it for goods, not services or eaten food.
No, 卖完 is strictly for items that are literally sold out. If you want to express the idea of someone 'selling out' their principles, you'd use a different phrase in Chinese, likely involving words like '出卖' (chūmài) or '牺牲' (xīshēng).
Test Yourself 48 questions
商店里的苹果都___了。
The sentence means 'The apples in the store are all sold out.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
这个杯子很好看，但是已经___了。
The sentence means 'This cup is very nice, but it's already sold out.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
电影票都___了，我们看不了。
The sentence means 'The movie tickets are all sold out, we can't watch.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
对不起，今天的面包都___了。
The sentence means 'Sorry, today's bread is all sold out.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
这本书很受欢迎，所以很快就___了。
The sentence means 'This book is very popular, so it sold out quickly.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
这家店的咖啡总是很快就___。
The sentence means 'The coffee at this store always sells out quickly.' '卖完' means 'sold out'.
This sentence means 'The books are all sold out.' The structure is Subject + 都 (all) + Verb + 了 (past tense marker).
This means 'Are the tickets already sold out?' The word order for a question usually puts 吗 at the end.
This means 'Is this dish sold out?' Using '没有' at the end is another way to form a yes/no question.
This sentence means 'The tickets are all sold out.' The structure is Subject + 都 (dōu, all) + 已经 (yǐjīng, already) + Verb + 了 (le, particle indicating change of state).
This sentence means 'This new phone sold out very quickly.' '很快就' (hěn kuài jiù) means 'very quickly, then'.
This sentence means 'When I went to the supermarket, the milk was sold out.' '的时候' (de shíhou) means 'when/at the time of'.
Imagine you're at a popular restaurant and they just ran out of your favorite dish. Write a short message (2-3 sentences) to a friend expressing your disappointment. Use '卖完' in your message.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
真可惜，我最喜欢的菜卖完了。我有点儿失望，本来很想吃那个的。
You are a shop owner and a customer is asking for a popular item that is currently sold out. Write a polite reply (2-3 sentences) explaining that it's sold out and when it might be restocked. Use '卖完' and '补货'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
非常抱歉，这款商品已经卖完了。我们正在等待补货，预计下周会到。
Describe a time when something you wanted to buy or experience was 'sold out'. What was it, and how did you feel? (2-3 sentences)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
上次我想买一件限量版的衣服，结果去晚了，已经卖完了。我当时觉得很遗憾。
根据这段话，为什么苹果和香蕉都卖完了？
Read this passage:
今天早上我去了超市，想买一些新鲜的水果。但是，我最喜欢吃的苹果和香蕉都卖完了。店员说，因为昨天打折，所以很多人都来买了。
根据这段话，为什么苹果和香蕉都卖完了？
文章中明确提到“因为昨天打折，所以很多人都来买了”，导致水果卖完。
文章中明确提到“因为昨天打折，所以很多人都来买了”，导致水果卖完。
小明为什么能看到电影？
Read this passage:
小明很喜欢看电影。他听说最近有一部新电影很受欢迎，所以他提前在网上订票。结果他去电影院的时候，发现电影票已经卖完了，幸好他已经订了。
小明为什么能看到电影？
文章中提到“幸好他已经订了”，说明他提前订票是能看到电影的原因。
文章中提到“幸好他已经订了”，说明他提前订票是能看到电影的原因。
如果你想吃到这家店的蛋挞，应该怎么做？
Read this passage:
这家面包店的蛋挞非常有名，每天早上都会有很多人排队买。通常到了下午，蛋挞就卖完了。如果你想吃到新鲜的蛋挞，最好早点去。
如果你想吃到这家店的蛋挞，应该怎么做？
文章中建议“如果你想吃到新鲜的蛋挞，最好早点去”。
文章中建议“如果你想吃到新鲜的蛋挞，最好早点去”。
The correct order forms the sentence 'The tickets are all sold out.'
This forms the sentence 'Because the coffee was sold out, I didn't buy any.'
The correct order creates the sentence 'This cake is already sold out this week.'
这款限量版跑车一经推出就迅速_______了，可见其受欢迎程度。
在中文中，'售罄'是'卖完'的正式说法，常用于书面语或新闻报道中，更强调所有商品都已经销售完毕，没有剩余。'卖完了'和'卖光了'意思相同，但口语色彩更浓。'全部卖出了'虽然意思相近，但不是一个固定搭配。
这家米其林餐厅的招牌菜每天都_______，想吃得提前预订。
在这里，'卖完了'是口语中最自然、最常用的表达，指商品已经全部售出。'销售完了'比较书面化。'卖空了'虽然也有卖完的意思，但不如'卖完了'常用。'消耗完了'通常指物品用尽，不用于商品的售卖。
由于演出票_______，许多粉丝只能在场外等候，希望能买到转让票。
此处用'已售罄'最为正式和恰当，常用于票务等场合，表示票已全部卖出，不再有库存。'已卖完'也可以，但'已售罄'更符合C1级别的正式语境。'已卖空'不常用作这种表达。'已销售'只说明被销售了，不说明是否全部卖完。
商店贴出告示，告知顾客这款热门商品_______，请勿再排队。
在告示中，使用'已经售罄'更为正式和简洁，符合书面通知的语境。'已经卖光'虽然意思相同，但口语化。'已经卖出'只说明部分商品被卖出，没有表达全部卖完的意思。'已经出清'通常指库存清仓，和'卖完'的含义略有不同。
展览馆的纪念品在开幕当天就几乎_______，人气非常旺。
'卖光了'在这里是一个生动且常用的口语表达，形象地说明商品销售一空。'卖空了'虽然意思相近，但不如'卖光了'自然。'卖绝了'有些夸张，不常用。'销售完了'比较书面化，不适合形容这种热闹的销售场面。
新发行的限量版邮票一上市便被抢购一空，不到一小时便_______。
在此语境中，'宣告售罄'更具有新闻报道的正式性和宣布性，强调了官方或商家正式宣布商品已经全部售出。'全部卖出'和'已卖完'都可以，但没有'宣告售罄'那么正式和有力。'结束销售'只说明销售行为停止，不一定代表全部卖完。
商店里的新款手机刚上市就___了，真是太受欢迎了。
“卖完”表示商品全部售罄，符合语境中新款手机非常受欢迎导致迅速售罄的情况。
由于演出票一经发售便迅速___，许多粉丝未能如愿购得。
“卖完”指票被全部售出。这里指的是演出票被迅速卖光，导致很多人没有买到。
这场慈善义卖活动，所有的商品都在短时间内___，筹集到了不少善款。
“卖完”指商品全部售罄。在慈善义卖活动中，商品全部售出才能筹集到善款。
如果商店里的商品“卖完”了，就意味着这些商品仍然有库存。
“卖完”表示商品已经全部售罄，没有库存了。
当电影票“卖完”时，表示所有场次的电影票都已经被购买。
“卖完”指的是商品全部售罄，所以电影票“卖完”就是所有电影票都被买光了。
餐厅里的特色菜品“卖完”了，说明今天这种菜品可以无限量供应。
“卖完”表示售罄，所以餐厅里的特色菜品“卖完”意味着当天已经没有这种菜品了，不能无限量供应。
The correct order forms the sentence 'The tickets for this movie are already sold out.'
The correct order forms the sentence 'This style of clothing is sold out, do you have other colors?'
The correct order forms the sentence 'Sorry, the book you wanted to buy is already sold out.'
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Example
对不起，今天的面包已经卖完了。
