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买 (mǎi) — to buy; to purchase

Definition

买 (mǎi) is the everyday verb 'to buy' used in daily life. 购买 is a more formal or written version of the same idea, and 购物 means 'to go shopping' as an activity.

verb
to buyto purchase
Easily confused

Examples

  • 买。
    Tā xiǎng mǎi yí gè píng guǒ.
    He wants to buy an apple.
  • 买？
    Nǐ xiǎng mǎi zhè běn shū ma?
    Do you want to buy this book?
  • 买。
    Wǒ qù mǎi niú nǎi hé miàn bāo.
    I'm going to buy milk and bread.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 買; 买 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional form 買, 网 is a net and 貝 is a money cowrie.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 11000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsShopping & Errands2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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