出售 (chū shòu) is a formal, written verb meaning 'to sell', especially used for property, real estate, vehicles, or high-value goods. It combines 出 (chū), meaning 'to go out' or 'to put forth', and 售 (shòu), meaning 'to sell' — together suggesting 'to put up for sale'. Unlike the more colloquial 卖 (mài), 出售 carries an official or commercial tone and frequently appears in advertisements, contracts, property listings, and business contexts.

This word is rarely used for everyday small transactions — you wouldn’t say 我出售苹果 to mean 'I’m selling apples at the market'. Instead, it implies a deliberate, often documented act of offering something for purchase, usually by an organization or seller with authority. It’s commonly followed by the item being sold and may appear with modifiers like 正在 (currently), 已 (already), or 对外 (to the public). The subject is typically the seller (a company, agency, or individual acting formally), and the object is clearly specified.